turnip, n. [OE. turnep; probably fr. turn, or F. tour a turn, turning lathe + OE. nepe a turnip, AS. n, L. napus. Cf. Turn, v. t., Navew.].

The edible, fleshy, roundish, or somewhat conical, root of a cruciferous plant (Brassica campestris, var. Napus); also, the plant itself. [1913 Webster]

Swedish turnip (Bot.), a kind of turnip. See Ruta-baga. -- Turnip flea (Zoöl.), a small flea-beetle (Haltica, striolata syn. Phyllotreta striolata), which feeds upon the turnip, and often seriously injures it. It is black with a stripe of yellow on each elytron. The name is also applied to several other small insects which are injurious to turnips. See Illust. under Flea-beetle. -- Turnip fly. (Zoöl.) (a) The turnip flea. (b) A two-winged fly (Anthomyia radicum) whose larvæ live in the turnip root.

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

turnip, n.
1 a cruciferous plant, Brassica rapa, with a large white globular root and sprouting leaves.
2 this root used as a vegetable.
3 a large thick old-fashioned watch.

Idiom

turnip-top the leaves of the turnip eaten as a vegetable.

Derivative

turnipy adj.

Etymology

earlier turnep(e) f. neep f. L napus: first element of uncert. orig.

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