plural collards
: a cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) related to kale and having a loose head of stalked smooth leaves
also : its leaves cooked and eaten as a vegetable
usually used in plural

called also collard greens

Examples of collard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Use kale, collard greens, Swiss chard or spinach. Deputy Food Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 These are dressed with a creamy mixture of Parmesan, bacon, and collard greens. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 June 2026 The restaurant is known for its dinners with baked chicken, mac and cheese, and collard greens, as well as for offering four different steaks. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 11 June 2026 Leafy Greens Another staple on lists of produce with higher pesticide residues is leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens. Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for collard

Word History

Etymology

alteration of colewort

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of collard was in 1795

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Collard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collard. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

: a kale with smooth leaves that grow at the top of a short thick stalk

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