sweet potato

American  

noun

1. a plant, Ipomoea batatas, of the morning glory family, grown for its sweet, edible, tuberous roots.

2. the root itself, used as a vegetable.

3. Informal. ocarina.

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sweet potato British  

noun

1. a convolvulaceous twining plant, Ipomoea batatas, of tropical America, cultivated in the tropics for its edible fleshy yellow root

2. the root of this plant

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Etymology

Origin of sweet potato

An Americanism dating back to 1740–50

Example Sentences

Everyone was on board with Thanksgiving flavors, like pumpkin or sweet potato—but nobody actually liked pie.

From Salon

Another trick is to slightly roast the sweet potatoes before you add the marshmallows to give them a deeper flavor.

From Salon

Each packet contains portioned servings of peeled, cooked and mashed sweet potatoes that have then been frozen.

From Salon

Now, he will cut out the maple syrup and brown sugar he added to sweet potatoes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Other staples, including sweet potatoes and fresh fruit, cost more as the agriculture sector contends with tariffs and high costs.

From The Wall Street Journal