# turnip

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɜː.nɪp/ · frequency rank #35,562

## Definitions
1. The white root of a yellow-flowered plant, Brassica rapa, grown as a vegetable and as fodder for cattle.
2. The yellow root of a related plant, the swede or Brassica napus.
3. The white root of Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also known as a daikon.
4. The root of the yam bean, Pachyrhizus erosus; jicama.
5. Clipping of turnip watch
6. A fool or simpleton.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **turns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turnip-vs-turns)
- **turn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turn-vs-turnip)
- **trip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trip-vs-turnip)
- **Turin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turin-vs-turnip)
- **tulip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tulip-vs-turnip)
- **tunic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tunic-vs-turnip)
- **Tunis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tunis-vs-turnip)
- **turned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turned-vs-turnip)
- **turner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turner-vs-turnip)
- **Turkic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turkic-vs-turnip)
- **turning** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/turning-vs-turnip)

## Common misspellings (9)
`trunip`, `tturnip`, `tunrip`, `turinp`, `turnipp`, `turnnip`, `turnpi`, `turrnip`, `utrnip`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/turnip