Norm cuts roots (8)
I believe the answer is:
parsnips
'roots' is the definition.
(parsnip is a kind of root)
'norm cuts' is the wordplay.
'norm' becomes 'par' (I've seen this before).
'cuts' becomes 'snips' (snip is a kind of cut).
'par'+'snips'='PARSNIPS'
(Other definitions for parsnips that I've seen before include "not enhanced by fine words?" , "Things growing in garden" , "Snip spar, oddly, of the vegetables" , "food" , "Snip spar with the vegetable" .)