cassava

noun

cas·sa·va | \ kə-ˈsä-və

Definition of cassava

: 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 — compare tapioca sense 1

Note: 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

Final mutiny came in the form of a universal complaint that all the cassava was making everyone’s mouths feel coated and sticky. — Tamar Adler, Vogue, "Is Healthy Snack Food Actually Healthy—or Just Addictive?," 18 Jan. 2019 But everyone munched happily away, stuffing down beet and cassava and then stealing one another’s water bottles. — Tamar Adler, Vogue, "Is Healthy Snack Food Actually Healthy—or Just Addictive?," 18 Jan. 2019 Collette Lundi, the mother of one desperately malnourished boy fighting for his life in a hospital, said her husband had been killed by a militia and their house destroyed, leaving the family with nothing to eat but small amounts of cassava. — Nicholas Kristof, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Conflict is more profitable than peace’," 26 Mar. 2018 Hiking in Northern Vietnam: TrufflepigSpend three days trekking the highlands of Mai Chau, through cassava fields and past traditional villages, stopping to recharge at rustic ecolodges. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "Four Adventure Itineraries to Book in Southeast Asia," 14 Nov. 2018 In Brazil’s Northeast, the company launched an affordable brand brewed with cassava—a woody shrub native to South America—produced by local farmers. — Saabira Chaudhuri, WSJ, "AB InBev Slashes Dividend as Beer Remains Out of Favor," 25 Oct. 2018 The science behind those dishes has been distilled into a blue-hued bar made with spirulina alongside cassava and chicory root fiber. — Michaela Bechler, Vogue, "The Best On-the-Go Snacks to Get Before Holiday Travel Season," 6 Nov. 2018 Vegetables: Boniato, calabaza, cherry tomato, okra, Southern pea, Seminole pumpkin, sweet cassava, roselle, sweet potato and yard-long bean; start transplants of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes from seed in mid July. 4. — Tom Maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "July in the garden," 30 June 2018 The extracted starch from cassava goes into products like tapioca and arrowroot. — Laura Scholz, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Should Know About Cassava Flour, the Allergy-Friendly Starch That's Taking Over," 28 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cassava.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.