n. a biennial herb, Petroselinum crispum, with white flowers and crinkly aromatic leaves, used for seasoning and garnishing food.
Phrases and idioms:
parsley fern a fern, Cryptogramma crispa, with leaves like parsley. parsley-piert a dwarf annual herb, Aphanes arvensis.
Etymology: ME percil, per(e)sil f. OF peresil, and OE petersilie ult. f. L petroselinum f. Gk petroselinon; parsley-piert prob. corrupt. of F perce-pierre pierce stone