manioc

noun

man·​i·​oc ˈma-nē-ˌäk How to pronounce manioc (audio)
variants or less commonly mandioca
plural maniocs also mandiocas
: cassava
Several chefs included the preparation of manioc in their demonstrations.Jeffrey Steingarten
Indigenous peoples also made full use of the region's plants and animals … including maize and manioc, potatoes and llamas …Peter Winn
No table is complete in Brazil without its shaker of manioc flour which is sprinkled on almost everything.Thelma Barer-Stein
That night, sitting under a palm leaf roof that the men had lashed together in case of rain, we ate roasted paca, armadillo, baked mandioca root and freshly cut heart of palm.Stephen Homer

Examples of manioc in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tending gardens filled with manioc, maize, sweet potato and chili peppers was a daily ritual for these Indigenous people. Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Jan. 2024 Both traditional and captive wives farmed the staple manioc and brewed it into beer, the centerpiece of competitive feasts. Catherine M. Cameron, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2017 After years of neglect, conservation efforts are just picking up for Walker’s manioc. Betsy Andrews, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2018 Cassava, also known as yuca or manioc, is a staple food in many African countries. Daniel Danino, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 On the left, the dense forest cascades over itself in layers of green; on the right, parallel terraces of manioc, maize, and beets climb the hills, a rising tide that strands trees like marooned survivors. Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2016 The shape of the leaves of the endangered Walker’s manioc remind Benito Treviño of Texas longhorn cattle. Betsy Andrews, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2018 At his abandoned campsites, officials found corn, manioc, papaya and bananas, according to Survival International, a human rights group. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Aug. 2022 João Cohen moved to his patch of the Amazon 30 years ago to plant manioc. Georgina Gustin, NBC News, 19 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manioc.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French manioc & Spanish & Portuguese mandioca, all ultimately from Tupi maniʔóka, mandiʔóka

First Known Use

circa 1544, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manioc was circa 1544

Dictionary Entries Near manioc

Cite this Entry

“Manioc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manioc. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

manioc

noun
man·​i·​oc ˈman-ē-ˌäk How to pronounce manioc (audio)

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