yam

American  

[yam] / yæm /

noun

1. the starchy, tuberous root of any of various climbing vines of the genus Dioscorea, cultivated for food in warm regions.

2. any of these plants.

3. the sweet potato.

4. Scot. potato.

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yam British  

/ jæm /

noun

1. any of various twining plants of the genus Dioscorea, of tropical and subtropical regions, cultivated for their edible tubers: family Dioscoreaceae

2. the starchy tuber of any of these plants, which is eaten as a vegetable

3. any of certain large varieties of sweet potato

4. a former Scot name for the (common) potato

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Etymology

Origin of yam

First recorded in 1580–90; compare Gullah nyam, Jamaican English nyaams, Sranan jamsi, from sources in one or more West African languages (compare Wolof nyam (nyam), Fulani nyami “to eat,” Twi εnãm “flesh”); earlier English forms, from Portuguese inhame or Spanish (i)ñame

Explanation

A yam is a starchy vegetable that grows underground. Yams are similar to potatoes — they can be baked, boiled, mashed, grated, or cut into chunks. In North America, a yam is the same thing as a sweet potato, although in most parts of the world these words refer to two completely different vegetables. Yams have flesh that ranges in color from white to deep orange and tastes slightly sweet. The word yam started as igname, from the Portuguese inhame, from a West African source.

Example Sentences

I ordered a stir fry of crab and broken rice with greens and yam that came topped with a fried soft-shell crab drizzled with shito, a Ghanaian chili sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

Mercy Diebiru-Ojo's ambitions are straightforward -- increase Nigerian yam and cassava yields by 500 percent, fight hunger and raise her country's position on the agricultural value chain from a mere grower to a processor.

From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025

And at Chishuru, whose prix fixe dinner menu is priced at £95, egusi — a seed used in soup, usually served with pounded yam — flavors an ice cream accompanying a meringue sponge.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2024

Ube Halaya — a classic Filipino dessert made of purple yam, coconut milk, and butter — is commonly served during special occasions as an emblem of both celebration and togetherness.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2024

It reminded him of slicing a yam with a newly sharpened knife, the easy perfection in every slice.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie