arracacha

American  

[ahr-uh-kah-chuh, ahr-rah-kah-chah] / ˌɑr əˈkɑ tʃə, ˌɑr rɑˈkɑ tʃɑ /

noun

1. a perennial herb, Arracacia xanthorrhiza, of the parsley family, found in the Andes, having large, fleshy, edible roots.

2. the root of this plant, eaten like potatoes.

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Etymology

Origin of arracacha

First recorded in 1820–25; from Spanish, from Quechua

Example Sentences

Yams, sweet potatoes, cassava and arracacha are chiefly cultivated for domestic needs, but in common with other fruits and vegetables they give occupation to the small agriculturalists near the larger towns.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

The arracacha has been introduced into the South of Europe, not as a substitute for, but as a provision against a failure of the potato crop.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by Simmonds, P. L.