Definition

Noun: 1. A type of plant: A cruciferous plant (Brassica napus napobrassica) cultivated for its large, edible, yellow-fleshed root. 2. An edible root vegetable: The large, round, yellow or white root of this plant, used as food. It is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip, with a sweeter, milder flavor than a turnip.

Usage Examples

• As a plant:
  • The rutabaga is a hardy crop that grows well in cool climates.
  • Farmers plant rutabaga in the summer for a fall harvest.
• As a food:
  • She mashed the rutabaga with butter and nutmeg.
  • The stew was filled with chunks of potato, carrot, and rutabaga.
  • You can roast rutabaga to bring out its natural sweetness.

Advanced Usage

• Rutabagas are often coated in wax after harvesting to prevent moisture loss during storage. The wax should be peeled off before cooking.
• In some regions, particularly Scotland and parts of Northern England, rutabaga is traditionally served mashed and mixed with potatoes (known as "neeps and tatties") as an accompaniment to haggis.

Variants and Related Words

• Swede (n): A common name for rutabaga, especially in British English.
  • In the UK, you are more likely to find this vegetable labeled as a swede in the supermarket.
• Neep (n): A Scottish and Northern English term for rutabaga.
  • For Burns Night supper, you must have mashed neeps.

Synonyms

• Swede (n): The primary synonym in British English.
• Yellow turnip (n): A descriptive synonym used in some areas of North America.
• Swedish turnip (n): An older, less common name reflecting its origins.

Related Idioms or Phrases

• (As) common as a rutabaga: An informal, humorous idiom implying something is very ordinary or unremarkable. (Note: This is not a standard, widely recognized idiom but an illustrative example of how the word might be used figuratively).
  • His excuses are as common as a rutabaga; I've heard them all before.

Noun

1. a cruciferous plant with a thick bulbous edible yellow root
2. the large yellow root of a rutabaga plant used as food