root crop

noun

: a crop (such as turnips) grown for its enlarged roots

Examples of root crop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Larger root crops can crowd out the roots of fruit trees, as well as disturb the soil. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 4 May 2026 Most root crops, including carrots, potatoes, and parsnips, just don’t do well in clay soil. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026 Essentially desert country, its porous, sandy soil is inhospitable to all but a few types of shallow-root crops. — Sean Patrick Cooper, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025 The Basics of Growing Carrots Carrots are a root crop, best grown from seeds. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for root crop

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of root crop was in 1834

Rhymes for root crop

See All Rhymes for root crop

Browse Nearby Words

root collar
root crop
root cutting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Root crop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20crop. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on root crop

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about root crop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All