parsnip
Americannoun
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parsnips
plural
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a plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated varieties of which have a large, whitish, edible root.
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the root of this plant.
noun
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a strong-scented umbelliferous plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated for its long whitish root
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the root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable
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any of several similar plants, esp the cow parsnip
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
They banked almost 500,000 seeds from 19 species, including relatives of lettuce, parsnip, strawberry, radish, quinoa, blackberry, alfalfa and several species used as fodder crops for livestock.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026
There were oysters, salmon with Hollandaise sauce, beef, squab, duck, roast chicken, green peas, parsnip purée and Victoria pudding.
From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2023
The first plants to grow back, including huckleberry, cow parsnip and horsetail, are often plants that grizzlies like to eat.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 26, 2023
Enjoy with parsnip or plantain chips — for an escape from standard potato chips — or go buck wild with pita chips or tortilla chips.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2022
‘How grateful he will be to the Queen for keeping him waiting. He will be able to show her the full extent of his loyalty, won’t he? Have another parsnip, Rabscuttle.’
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
They demolished plates of dried beef, hoecakes, pickled eggs, roast venison and fried parsnips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
On Thursday, he served carrots and parsnips among a long line of volunteers dishing out lunch while chatting with attendees.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2024
Overall, the basic ingredients for the big day - turkey, stuffing, gravy, pigs in blankets, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, Christmas pudding and mince pies - would typically cost around £32.35.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2023
Sauté the onion, celery, parsnips, and leek until they are soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2023
“Because you do,” Miss Maggie told me one day as I helped her pull parsnips and carrots from her garden.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
