- pronunciation:
- yaem
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
the root of a tropical climbing plant, or the plant itself. The root is eaten as a cooked vegetable.
|
| definition 2: |
a kind of sweet potato.
|
Yam comes from
nyam, a West African word that means "to eat." Yams are a staple in the diet of many African people, and during difficult times may be the only thing there is to eat.