Cress is a noun for a small group of ediblesafe and suitable to eat plants with pepperyhaving a sharp, slightly spicy taste leaves, or for the leaves themselves. It’s usually used in cooking or gardening contextssituations or settings in which something is used.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /krɛs/
Easy pronunciation: KRESS (approximate spelling).
Stress: Single-syllable word; the only syllable is stressed.
Plant noun: a small edible plant with spicy-tasting leaves.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Cress Meaning
a small edible plant with spicy-tasting leaves
Part of speech: noun
Definition: any of various plants in the crucifer family with edible, pungent-tasting leaves
Example: She added cress to the sandwich for a peppery flavor.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- cress plant — A direct synonym for the plant sense, though less common than cress.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Cress
Meaning 2
the peppery leaves of a cress plant or similar herb
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the pungent leaves of any of numerous cruciferous herbs
Example: The salad was topped with fresh cress.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- cress plant — This source synonym is tied to the plant sense and is not a good substitute for the leaves-only sense in normal usage.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Cress Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- cress plant
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes think cress is a single specific plant, but it can refer to several edible cruciferous plants.
- Do not confuse cress with watercress, which is a specific kind of cress-like plant.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does cress mean?
Cress means a small edible plant with peppery leaves, or the leaves of such a plant.
What are synonyms for cress?
A direct dictionary synonym is cress plant, but there are few strong everyday substitutes.
Is cress the same as watercress?
Not exactly. Watercress is a specific type of edible plant, while cress can be used more generally.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
