: any of several American plants (genus Manihot, especially M. esculenta) of the spurge family grown in the tropics for their edible tuberous roots which yield a nutritious starch
also
: the root
called also mandioca, manioc, yuca, yucca
compare tapioca sense 1Note: Since raw cassava contains glycosides which release cyanide when crushed, the leaves and roots must be soaked, cooked, or fermented before consumption to prevent poisoning.
Examples of cassava in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And like soup joumou, the pumpkin dish that celebrates the country’s 1804 independence from France, and then cassava bread, the file was put together under the leadership of Haiti’s then ambassador to UNESCO, Dominique Dupuy.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
The brand uses four simple ingredients—organic cassava flour, organic coconut oil, water, and salt—to make gluten-free tortillas that behave more like flour tortillas than corn.
—Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Dec. 2025
Since then, fine-dining restaurants like Santa Chicória, run by chefs Ilca Carmo and Paulo Anijar, have expanded the city’s culinary lexicon to include dishes like filhote and rice with jambú pesto and a crisp cassava gratin served with burrata from Marajó.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
According to recent tests by Consumer Reports, cassava-containing products can sometimes have very high levels of lead.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cassava
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Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
The brand uses four simple ingredients—organic cassava flour, organic coconut oil, water, and salt—to make gluten-free tortillas that behave more like flour tortillas than corn.
—Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Dec. 2025
Since then, fine-dining restaurants like Santa Chicória, run by chefs Ilca Carmo and Paulo Anijar, have expanded the city’s culinary lexicon to include dishes like filhote and rice with jambú pesto and a crisp cassava gratin served with burrata from Marajó.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
According to recent tests by Consumer Reports, cassava-containing products can sometimes have very high levels of lead.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cassava
Cite this Entry
“Cassava.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassava. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
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