any of several species of plants widely cultivated for their edible starchy tuberous root used as a vegetable and a staple food in tropical areass: genus Dioscorea
a tuberous root of any of these plants, used as a vegetable and a staple food in tropical areas
NAmer a moist-fleshed usu orange sweet potato
[earlier iname, from Portuguese inhame and Spanish ñame, of West African origin]