parsley

noun

pars·​ley ˈpär-slē 

: a European biennial herb (Petroselinum crispum) of the carrot family widely grown for its finely dissected curly or flat leaves which are used as an herb or garnish

also : the leaves

Examples of parsley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Juice of 2 to 3 lemons Ground black pepper, to taste Fresh parsley, optional garnish Bring the broth to a boil in an 8-quart soup pot over high heat. —Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 6 Nov. 2024

The typical herbs found in a supermarket (like basil, parsley, rosemary, chives, or mint) often come from multiple distributors and nations, raising transportation costs and environmental impact, and global sourcing can make availability unpredictable. —Don Steinberg, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024

Top with parsley and additional cracked black pepper. —Shelli McConnell, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2024

Types of microgreens include broccoli, red cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, beets, basil, parsley, and cilantro. —Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English persely, from Old English petersilie, from Vulgar Latin *petrosilium, alteration of Latin petroselinum, from Greek petroselinon, from petros stone + selinon celery

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing parsley

• Chinese parsley
• fool's parsley
• giant cow parsley
• Italian parsley

Kids Definition

parsley

noun

pars·​ley ˈpär-slē 

plural parsleys

: a European herb related to the carrot and widely grown for its finely divided leaves which are used to season or decorate foods

also : the leaves

Medical Definition

parsley

noun

pars·​ley ˈpär-slē 

: a southern European annual or biennial herb (Petroselinum crispum) of the carrot family having leaves which are used as a culinary herb or garnish and a root and seeds which have been used medicinally