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Glite Dictionary
Brassica rapa

Brassica rapa

7.7
A plant with a large white or yellow root grown for food
  • noun
  • /ˈbræsɪkə ˈræpə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nabo
  • Some subspecies of Brassica rapa are popular in Asian cuisine.

Examples

  • The yellow root of Brassica rapa is commonly used in soups and stews.

  • The farmer grows Brassica rapa in her garden.

  • Farmers often grow Brassica rapa for its nutritious and versatile roots.

  • Have you ever tasted Brassica rapa in a salad?

  • The root of Brassica rapa is commonly used in various dishes around the world.

  • Farmers often grow Brassica rapa for its nutritious root and leafy greens.

  • In the garden, Brassica rapa can thrive in cool weather and is harvested in the fall.

Synonyms

turnip
vsBrassica rapa
38 1.0

A round root vegetable with white or yellow flesh eaten as food

refers to the species which produces this edible root
turnip plant
vsBrassica rapa
2.7

A plant that farmers grow for a round edible root and leaves you can eat

is specifically one plant species rather than several related plants
white turnip
vsBrassica rapa
2.4

A round white root vegetable that people eat cooked or raw

is the single plant species that includes this white variety

Surface Forms

Brassica rapa singular
Brassica rapas plural

Morphology

Brassica + rapa

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) name rather than a compositional English phrase; the species epithet 'rapa' is not an English word and offers no clear lexical clue. Even if a learner knows 'Brassica' refers to cabbage-like plants, they would not reliably infer the specific edible root (turnip) meaning from the label alone, so the expression is not transparently derivable.

Etymology

Brassica rapa comes from old Latin words: Brassica meant 'cabbage' and rapa meant 'turnip'. So the name gives a simple picture of a cabbage-like plant with a big edible root, which is why we use it today for plants such as the turnip.