breadroot

American

[bred-root, -root] / ˈbrɛdˌrut, -ˌrʊt /

noun

the edible starchy root of Psoralea esculenta, a leguminous plant of central North America.

breadroot British

/ ˈbrɛdˌruːt /

noun

Also called: prairie turnip. a leguminous plant, Psoralea esculenta , of central North America, having an edible starchy root

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of breadroot

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30; bread + root ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The name likely comes from a variation on the word “tukanin,” which refers to the Indian breadroot plant in titoqatímt, a dialect of Nez Perce.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023