yam

(yam)

noun

1. the edible, starchy, tuberous root of any of several tropical climbing plants (genus Dioscorea) of the yam family, widely grown in the tropics for food
2. any of these plants
any of various other similar plants, as the barbasco
☆ a moist, orange-colored variety of sweet potato
Scot. potato (sense )

Origin: Port inhame, prob. < WAfr native name

adjective

designating a family (Dioscoreaceae, order Liliales), of climbing, chiefly tropical monocotyledonous plants, including the barbasco

See yam in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Any of numerous chiefly tropical vines of the genus Dioscorea, many of which have edible tuberous roots.
The starchy root of any of these plants, used in the tropics as food.
Chiefly Southern U.S. See sweet potato. See Regional Note at goober.

Origin:

Origin: Portuguese inhame

Origin: or obsolete Spanish igname, iñame

Origin: , both from Portuguese and English Creole nyam, to eat

Origin: , of West African origin

Origin: ; Wolof ñam, food, to eat, or Bambara ñambu, manioc

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