miner's lettuce: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareInformal / Botanical
Quick answer
What does “miner's lettuce” mean?
A wild edible North American plant with succulent, round leaves, historically eaten by miners to prevent scurvy.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A wild edible North American plant with succulent, round leaves, historically eaten by miners to prevent scurvy.
An edible annual herb (Claytonia perfoliata) of the purslane family, with fleshy, disk-like leaves that enclose the stem, also known as winter purslane. It grows as a common weed in moist, shady areas.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically but is more likely known in the western US where the plant is native and where its historical use occurred. In the UK, it's known to gardeners, foragers, and botanists.
Connotations
US: Historical, foraged food, native plant. UK: Cultivated salad green, exotic/imported plant for gardeners.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but higher in North American foraging and gardening contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “miner's lettuce” in a Sentence
[to forage/collect/harvest] miner's lettuceminer's lettuce [grows/is found]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
In botanical and historical texts discussing ethnobotany or California Gold Rush history.
Everyday
In conversations about gardening, foraging, or wild edible plants.
Technical
In horticulture, botany, and foraging guides as a specific plant species name.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “miner's lettuce”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “miner's lettuce”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “miner's lettuce”
- Misspelling as 'minors lettuce' (confusing with 'minor')
- Incorrect plural: 'miner's lettuces' (usually uncountable).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's a different species (Claytonia perfoliata) in the purslane family, not the lettuce family (Lactuca).
Yes, it is entirely edible raw or cooked, provided it hasn't been treated with pesticides.
It's native to western North America but has been introduced and naturalized in many other temperate regions, including parts of Europe.
It has a mild, slightly salty, and succulent flavour, similar to spinach or young lettuce.
A wild edible North American plant with succulent, round leaves, historically eaten by miners to prevent scurvy.
Miner's lettuce is usually informal / botanical in register.
Miner's lettuce: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmaɪnəz ˈlɛtɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmaɪnərz ˈlɛtəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a 19th-century miner eating a lettuce salad instead of panning for gold to remember its historical use against scurvy.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURE AS A PHARMACY (the wild plant as a source of medicine/nutrition).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary reason miner's lettuce got its name?