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

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