Hillbilly Slang

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watercress

Watercress is a leafy green that grows in cool, running water. While eaten worldwide, in Appalachia and the South it was often gathered wild from creeks and springs, served fresh or cooked as part of a mess of greens.

#SouthernWords   #Appalachia   #FoodandDrink   #Southern   #FarmTalk

Hillbilly Dude Says...
We used to pull 'watercress' out of the branch when I was a kid. It probably doesn't happen as much as it used to. 

Pronunciation

[WAH-ter-cress]

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We aim to get true definitions and pronunciations for ever single word we can find. Plus real-life tales from the hills - some funny, some maybe downright wild.

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Meaning & Usage

- A leafy green plant (noun)

Mae:
What’s in this salad?
Earl:
Just watercress from the branch out back.

- Wild-harvested greens in Appalachia and the South (noun, regional use)

Mae:
Where’d you get all that?
Earl:
Went down and cut a mess of watercress in the creek.
other spellings: wild watercress, spring cress, creek greens, and cress greens
★ In mountain kitchens, watercress wasn’t just bought - it was foraged. Kids often got sent to "cut a mess of cress" from cold creeks near home. ★

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