sweet potato

noun

1
: a tropical vine (Ipomoea batatas) of the morning-glory family that is often grown for its edible tuberous root or for its ornamental variously shaped green to purple leaves and usually white to pinkish funnel-shaped flowers with pink to purple centers
also : the large thick sweet and nutritious tuberous root of the sweet potato that has beige, yellow, orange, red, or purple flesh and is cooked and eaten as a vegetable compare yam sense 2
2

Examples of sweet potato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Dinner, later that night, is celebratory — hummus, sweet potato, pasta and homemade sauce. Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 12 July 2025 Made for a minimum of two people, the carnivorous feast trots out family-style platters of rib-eye, branzino, chorizo and more, along with sides like crispy artichoke and roasted sweet potato. Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025 The quick-service concept offers not only a dozen varieties of cobbler, including mango peach, strawberry and sweet potato pecan; but selections of banana pudding, brownies, cookies, cinnamon rolls, Belgian waffles and churros. Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 Try some French marigolds, short snapdragon varieties, or begonias. Add a spiller, such as petunias or sweet potato vines, to cascade down the front of the pot. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sweet potato

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweet potato was in 1750

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Cite this Entry

“Sweet potato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweet%20potato. Accessed 28 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sweet potato

noun
1
: a tropical vine related to the morning glories and having variously shaped leaves and purplish flowers
also : its large sweet starchy root that is cooked and eaten as a vegetable
2

More from Merriam-Webster on sweet potato

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