parsnip

noun

pars·​nip ˈpär-snəp How to pronounce parsnip (audio)
: a Eurasian biennial herb (Pastinaca sativa) of the carrot family with large pinnate leaves and yellow flowers that is cultivated for its long tapered whitish root which is cooked as a vegetable
also : the root

Illustration of parsnip

Illustration of parsnip

Did you know?

The word parsnip was borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century as a modification of the Old French word pasnaie, itself derived from the Latin noun pastinaca, meaning "parsnip" or "carrot." The scientific name for the parsnip, "Pastinaca sativa," still reflects this history. "Pastinaca," in turn, traces back to "pastinum," a Latin word for a small gardening tool used to make holes in the ground for the insertion of plants, seeds, or bulbs. "Parsnip" may also remind you of the name of another edible root, "turnip," and there's a possible explanation for the resemblance. The Middle English spelling of "parsnip" ("passenep") may have been influenced by "nepe," the old form of "turnip."

Examples of parsnip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Stock up on cold-hardy vegetables like kale, carrots, spinach, rutabaga, daikon, cauliflower, leeks, and parsnips and use them in hearty winter dishes like soups, stews, and casseroles. Jillian Kubala, Health, 26 Nov. 2024 Sides include brussels sprouts, roasted carrots and parsnips, bourbon-maple sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy. Locations in Poulsbo, Shoreline, Ballard, Bellevue, Bainbridge Island and Mill Creek. Melissa Santos, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024 Celery is a vegetable that grows above ground and belongs to the Apiaceae family – the same family of vegetables that carrots, cumin, parsley, fennel and parsnips belong to. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024 Food stations include a fall salad bar, cheeses and fruits, roasted prime rib, ham and turkey, cod and chicken, eggs Benedict and omelets, waffles and assorted breakfast items, traditional vegetable sides, and a pumpkin, apple and parsnip soup. Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for parsnip 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pasnepe, pastenepe, persnepe, borrowed (with assimilation of the final syllable to nepe "turnip") from Old French pasnaie, going back to Latin pastināca "carrot, turnip," probably from pastinum "two-pronged implement for planting seeds" (of uncertain origin) + -āca, suffix of plant names — more at neep

Note: Forms with -r-, marginally attested before ca. 1500, are perhaps by hypercorrection, since r is sometimes lost before tautosyllabic s in popular speech (see note at hoss). — Ernout and Meillet (Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française) compare pastinum with the verb pangere "to insert firmly, set in the ground" and related derivatives (see pact), though the formal path is unclear.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of parsnip was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Parsnip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parsnip. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

parsnip

noun
pars·​nip ˈpär-snəp How to pronounce parsnip (audio)
: a Eurasian herb related to the carrot and grown for its long white root which is cooked as a vegetable
also : this root

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