Parsnip Root
/ˈpɑːr.snɪp ruːt/noun
The edible underground part of the parsnip plant, a pale, sweet-tasting root vegetable.
Did you know?The word “root” belongs to an ancient Indo-European family that also produced “radish,” “radical,” and “eradicate,” all carrying the idea of a root or underlying origin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wrād-
“Root; a rooted or growing plant base”
Classical Latin
Latin
pastināca
“Parsnip or similar edible root, possibly associated with a digging fork called a pastinum”
Late Latin
Latin
rādīx
“Root; the underground part of a plant, and figuratively a source or origin”
Old French
Old French
pasnaie
“Parsnip”
Middle English
English
pasnepe
“Parsnip, influenced by the word “nepe,” meaning turnip”
Modern English
English
parsnip root
“The edible root of the parsnip plant”