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

Fresh Herbs Herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley lose their flavor and texture when frozen as-is. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026

Or, make a pesto with feta by blending it with a little olive oil, herbs such as basil or parsley, black olives, walnuts, or pine nuts. — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

Step 2 Meanwhile, blend 1 cup (firmly packed) tender herbs (such as parsley, dill, cilantro, and/or basil), ¾ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

Finely chop the bell peppers, onion, and the parsley leaves and tender stems. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

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

Phrases Containing parsley

• Chinese parsley
• fool's parsley
• giant cow parsley
• Italian parsley

Rhymes for parsley

• sparsely

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