Parsnip

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Parsnip \Pars"nip\ (p[aum]rs"n[i^]p), n. [OE. parsnepe, from a
     French form, fr. L. pastinaca; cf. pastinare to dig up,
     pastinum a kind of dibble; cf. OF. pastenade, pastenaque.]
     (Bot.)
     The aromatic and edible spindle-shaped root of the cultivated
     form of the {Pastinaca sativa}, a biennial umbelliferous


     plant which is very poisonous in its wild state; also, the
     plant itself.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Cow parsnip}. See {Cow parsnip}.
  
     {Meadow parsnip}, the European cow parsnip.
  
     {Poison parsnip}, the wild stock of the parsnip.
  
     {Water parsnip}, any plant of the umbelliferous genus {Sium},
        the species of which are poisonous.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  parsnip
       n 1: the whitish root of cultivated parsnip
       2: a strong-scented plant cultivated for its edible root [syn:
          {Pastinaca sativa}]
       3: whitish edible root; eaten cooked