jicama

American  

[hee-kuh-muh, hik-uh-] / ˈhi kə mə, ˈhɪk ə- /

noun

1. the large, edible, tuberous root of a tropical American plant, Pachyrhizus erosus, of the legume family, eaten as a vegetable either raw or boiled.

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jicama British  

/ dʒɪˈkɑːmə, xɪkama /

noun

1. a pale brown turnip with crisp sweet flesh, originating in Mexico

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Etymology

Origin of jicama

1900–05; < Mexican Spanish < Nahuatl xīcama, xīcamatl

Example Sentences

Pickled vegetables add a bright, briny snap to otherwise familiar dishes: carrots and jicama, scallions or classic cucumbers become unexpected stars.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

But on one spring evening, Fadul and her team served thin slices of the raw fruit, which tastes like a cross between jicama and cucumber.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2024

Instead, there is a mixture of green leaf lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, jicama, and slices of tofu pan-fried with lemongrass and vegetarian oyster sauce.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 25, 2023

Taste of Home lists some more, such as jicama, radicchio, vichyssoise and pho.

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2022

Heather nibbles through her jicama and whole-grain roll, and blows me off while she eats her baby carrots.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson