parsnip

The story

1. Latin · derived frompastināca“parsnip, carrot”
2. Old French · derived frompasnaie
3. Middle English · inherited frompassenep
4. English todayparsnip

From 16th-century parsnepe, from Middle English passenep, a modification of Old French pasnaie by influence of Middle English nepe (“turnip”), from Latin pastināca (“parsnip, carrot”), from pastinum (“two-pronged fork”) as in pastināre (“to dig up the ground”).. The irregular intrusive r may be due to influence from parsley.