yam
noun
the starchy, tuberous root of any of various climbing vines of the genus Dioscorea, cultivated for food in warm regions.
yams
-
pluralof yam.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
In “The Caribbean Cookbook,” the starch is either rice or “ground provisions,” the Anglophone term for yams, sweet potatoes, plantains, breadfruit and other staples.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
The pomegranates, squash and apples were in season, pink guavas were so ripe you could smell their heady scent from a distance, and nutrient-packed yams were ready for the holidays.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025
The result -- 30 tonnes of yams and cassava per hectare, compared to the typical five.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2025
Thanksgiving, for all its excess, is not a particularly textural meal—pillowy mashed potatoes, velvety gravy, candied yams collapsing under their own syrup.
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2025
“Everything they do is with one eye to the spirit. When they plant their yams and manioc, they’re praying. When they harvest, they’re praying. Even when they conceive their children, I think they’re praying.”
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
