parsley

noun

pars·ley ˈpär-slē

: a European biennial herb (Petroselinum crispum) of the carrot family widely grown for its finely dissected curly or flat leaves which are used as an herb or garnish

also : the leaves

Examples of parsley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Make chicken mixture: Meanwhile, stir together chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, and parsley in a large bowl. —

Adam Dolge, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2023 Stir in flour, eggs, parsley, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, and bacon mixture. —

Lyda Jones Burnette, Country Living, 8 Sep. 2023 Garnish with additional parsley, and serve alongside lemon wedges. —

Karen Schroeder-Rankin, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2023 Transfer 1 chicken breast and half of veggies to plate and serve sprinkled with parsley and almonds if desired. —

Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping, 18 Aug. 2023 Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the parsley, mint, cilantro, thyme, oregano, garlic, vinegar, oil, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. —

Lisa Zwirn, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2023 Curly French parsley and flat Italian parsley contain vitamin K, which is good for bone health and crucial for blood clotting. —

Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. 2023 Sprinkle everything with additional Old Bay seasoning, garnish with parsley and lemon wedges and serve. Questions or comments? —

Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 11 Aug. 2023 Add the clam juice, white wine and parsley to the skillet. —

cleveland, 25 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parsley.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English persely, from Old English petersilie, from Vulgar Latin *petrosilium, alteration of Latin petroselinum, from Greek petroselinon, from petros stone + selinon celery

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of parsley was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Parsley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parsley. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

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Kids Definition

parsley

noun

pars·ley ˈpär-slē

plural parsleys

: a European herb related to the carrot and widely grown for its finely divided leaves which are used to season or decorate foods

also : the leaves

Medical Definition

parsley

noun

pars·ley ˈpär-slē

: a southern European annual or biennial herb (Petroselinum crispum) of the carrot family having leaves which are used as a culinary herb or garnish and a root and seeds which have been used medicinally