parsnip
[ pahr-snip ]
/ ˈpɑr snɪp /
noun
a plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated varieties of which have a large, whitish, edible root.
the root of this plant.
Origin of parsnip
1350–1400; earlier
pars(e)nep, pass(e)nep, Middle English
pas(t)nep(e) < Latin
past(ināca) parsnip (derivative of
pastinum forked dibble) + Middle English
nep turnip; see
neep
Words nearby parsnip
parsimony,
parsley,
parsley family,
parsley fern,
parsley piert,
parsnip,
parson,
parson bird,
parson's nose,
parsonage,
parsons
Example sentences from the Web for parsnip
British Dictionary definitions for parsnip
parsnip
/ (ˈpɑːsnɪp) /
noun
a strong-scented umbelliferous plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated for its long whitish root
the root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable
any of several similar plants, esp the cow parsnip
Word Origin for parsnip
C14: from Old French
pasnaie, from Latin
pastināca, from
pastināre to dig, from
pastinum two-pronged tool for digging; also influenced by Middle English
nepe
turnip