parsnip

American  

[pahr-snip] / ˈpɑr snɪp /

noun

• parsnips
  plural

1. a plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated varieties of which have a large, whitish, edible root.

2. the root of this plant.

---

parsnip British  

/ ˈpɑːsnɪp /

noun

1. a strong-scented umbelliferous plant, Pastinaca sativa, cultivated for its long whitish root

2. the root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable

3. any of several similar plants, esp the cow parsnip

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• parsnips
  plural

---

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

See Examples For:

parsnip parsnips

So, the parsnip white miso soup, I think this time of year — especially in New England and the Northeast in general — it's root vegetable time.

From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2024

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

Also known as the "poison parsnip", hemlock water dropwort - Oenanthe crocata - is one of the most poisonous plants native to the UK.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 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

“Some soup to start with, sir? Spiced parsnip today.”

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

McDonald said the equipment was filled with food such as carrots and apples, but the beavers had a particular love of parsnips because of their sweetness.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

They demolished plates of dried beef, hoecakes, pickled eggs, roast venison and fried parsnips.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

I keep this soup quite minimal, but if it's to your liking, throw in some carrots or parsnips or whatever you have on hand to round out the flavors all the more.

From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2025

"Every year they do the same thing," he says, noting that supermarkets usually fight for customers with cut price "potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Brussels spouts".

From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2024

In 1747, Andraeas Marggraf, a German scientist, cut up and dried some parsnips, then mashed them into a powder.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---