Definition

Noun: 1. A plant root that is harvested and eaten as a vegetable: Specifically refers to the enlarged, edible underground part of certain plants. These parts are typically storage organs rich in nutrients. 2. A culinary term for vegetables grown primarily for their edible roots or tubers: This category includes vegetables where the primary consumed portion develops underground.

Examples

• Carrots, parsnips, and beets are common root vegetables.
• For a hearty stew, chop up a variety of root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, and rutabagas.
• The farmer's market had a colorful display of root vegetables.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in nutritional and agricultural contexts to describe a class of vegetables with similar growing conditions (subterranean) and storage properties.
• In botanical terms, not all "root vegetables" are true roots; some, like potatoes, are tubers (modified stems), but they are grouped under this culinary and common name.

Variants and Related Words

• Root crop: A related agricultural term referring to crops grown for their edible underground parts.
• Tuber: A specific type of underground stem, like a potato, often categorized as a root vegetable.

Synonyms

• Underground vegetable
• Edible root

Related Phrases

• Root cellar: A storage room, often underground, used to keep root vegetables fresh for extended periods.
  • They stored their harvest of potatoes and carrots in the root cellar for the winter.

Noun

1. any of various fleshy edible underground roots or tubers