turnip
turnip Lexical Profile
turnip Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A round, fleshy, edible root vegetable of the mustard family, typically with white flesh and a purple or green top, eaten cooked or raw.
"She chopped the turnip into small cubes and added it to the hearty winter stew."
The biennial plant (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) that produces the turnip root, characterized by slightly hairy, green leaves which are also commonly eaten as a leafy vegetable.
"The farmer devoted an entire field to cultivating turnips for both their roots and their nutritious leafy greens."
British An informal or derogatory term for a foolish, slow-witted, or ignorant person.
"He stood there staring blankly like an absolute turnip when asked to explain his reasoning."
Word Nuance & Usage
In some British and Irish dialects, the term 'turnip' is often used to refer to the larger, yellow-fleshed rutabaga (swede), whereas in North America, 'turnip' strictly refers to the smaller, white-fleshed vegetable.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'turnepe', likely combining 'turn' (referring to its rounded shape) and Old English 'nǣp' (turnip, derived from Latin 'napus').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.