turnip

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turnip

/ˈtɜːnɪp/ Australia, UK
/ˈtəːnɪp/ British, Southern, Standard
/ˈtɝ.nɪp/ US
/ˈtɝ.nəp/ US
/ˈtʌɾnɪp/ Scotland
/ˈtøːnəp/ New Zealand
/ˈtøːnɪp/ Wales
/ˈteːnɪp/
/ˈtɛːnɪp/

Where it comes from

From Middle English turnepe, probably from turn + Middle English nepe, from Old English nǣp, from Latin nāpus. The component turn may be due to the round shape of the plant as though turned on a lathe, or because it must be turned and twisted to be harvested. Cognate to neep. See also parsnip.

noun turnips · turnep

The white root of a yellow-flowered plant, Brassica rapa, grown as a vegetable and as fodder for cattle. The ancient Roman gastronomists considered the turnip, when prepared in the following manner, a dish fit for epicures: "After boiling, extract the water from them, and season with cummin, rue, or benzoin, pounded in a mortar; afterward add honey, vinegar, gravy, and boiled grapes. Allow the whole to
Similar: summer turnip, white turnip
Atlantic Canada, Cornwall, Ireland, Northern England, Scotland The yellow root of a related plant, the swede or Brassica napus.
Similar: rutabaga, swede, tumshie
Hong Kong The white root of Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also known as a daikon.
Similar: daikon
Malaysia, Singapore, broadly The root of the yam bean, Pachyrhizus erosus; jicama.
abbreviation, clipping, dated Clipping of turnip watch
slang A fool or simpleton. "Dost thou not believe, thou twittering turnip?"

verb turnips · turniping · turnipping · turniped · turnipped

transitive To plant with turnips. This identical field has been turniped before, and to good account, in a favourable winter.
transitive To feed or graze (livestock) on turnips. The Leicesters and half-breds are purchased by farmers who keep no breeding stock: they are well turniped during the winter, and clipped and fattened in the following season.

Translations

Every language

noun white root of Brassica rapa

Español	nabo, grelo, bunio, coyocho
한국어	순무 sunmu
日本語	蕪 kabu, 蕪菜 kabuna, 菘 suzuna
中文	蕪菁 /芜菁 wújīng
हिन्दी	शलजम śaljam, शलगम śalgam
Português	nabo
Français	navet
Deutsch	Speiserübe, Mairübe, Teltower Rübchen, Herbstrübe, Wasserrübe, Stoppelrübe
Italiano	rapa
Ελληνικά	γογγύλι gongýli
Română	navetă, nap
Русский	ре́па répa, ре́пка répka, турне́пс turnéps
Tiếng Việt	củ cải, cây củ cải
العربية	لِفْت lift
עברית	לֶפֶת léfet

noun large, head pocket watch

Deutsch	Zwiebel

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MLA

"turnip." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/turnip. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

turnip. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/turnip

Chicago

"turnip." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/turnip.

BibTeX

@misc{turnip_2026,
  title = {turnip},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/turnip},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}