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

: ocarina

Examples of sweet potato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cording recommends throwing a slice of salmon, hunks of sweet potato or winter squash, and either broccoli or brussels sprouts (chef’s choice) on a pan and roasting till the fish is cooked through and those veggies are nice and brown. —Ashley Oerman, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026

Start by baking a sweet potato until tender. —Sarah Garone, Health, 19 Feb. 2026

But the team whips together three courses for lunch and dinner each day filled to brim with veggies, including dishes such as soy spaghetti with coconut sauce and red curry; vegetarian paella with quinoa, and a pumpkin, sweet potato, and leek soup. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026

Mix up your standard crostini with this unique recipe that uses sweet potato slices. —Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sweet potato

• adagio
• altiplano
• arapaho
• arapahoe
• manifesto
• medicago
• minangkabau
• oregano
• ostinato
• pistachio
• politico
• portfolio

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

: ocarina