Neep
Noun
- A turnip.
Example Sentences
“Joanna made a creamy neep soup for the first course of the dinner party.”
“Cedric has perfected the art of growing neeps in his backyard garden.”
“My winter vegetable garden is full of neeps and potatoes.”
Word Origin
Old English, pre-1100
Why this word?
Quite simply, a neep is a turnip; the word comes from the Latin “napus,” meaning “turnip.” The term is almost exclusively used in Scotland, where a traditional dish called “neeps and tatties” is made of mashed neeps and mashed potatoes. It’s usually eaten as a side dish to haggis during Burns Night supper, which is a celebration to mark the anniversary of Scottish poet Robert Burns’ birth on January 25.