(Science: botany) An aromatic umbelliferous herb (Carum Petroselinum), having finely divided leaves which are used in cookery and as a garnish. As she went to the garden for parsley, to stuff a rabbit. (Shak) Fool's parsley. See fool. Hedge parsley, milk parsley, stone parsley, names given to various weeds of similar appearance to the parsley.
Origin: OE. Persely, persil, F. Persil, L. Petroselinum rock parsley, Gr.; stone _ parsley. Cf. Celery.