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sweet potato

noun
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Definition of sweet potato

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 Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, are always on our table [too]. — Chloe Melas, CNN, "Ayesha Curry reveals what's on her family's Thanksgiving menu this year," 28 Nov. 2019 Bei Bei got treats, too, including ice cakes filled with frozen juice, sweet potato and sugar cane. — BostonGlobe.com, "WASHINGTON - Crowds flocked to the National Zoo over the weekend to bid their final goodbyes to Bei Bei, the giant panda cub, as he prepares to leave the only home he has known for China.," 19 Nov. 2019 Flavors are apple baharat, heirloom pumpkin, sweet potato and Bourbon pecan ($25-$30). — Josie Sexton, The Know, "10 Denver restaurants serving a better-than-home-cooked dinner this Thanksgiving," 19 Nov. 2019 Bei Bei got treats too, including ice cakes filled with frozen juice, sweet potato and sugar cane. — Washington Post, "Bei Bei showered with attention as National Zoo prepares to send him to China Tuesday," 18 Nov. 2019 Conduct beach clean-ups, collect scientific data to monitor the health of the Kohala watershed, help plant native ‘uala (sweet potato) and ko (sugarcane), or educate visitors on the conservation of native coral and fish species. — National Geographic, "Hawaii Community Service: Island Habitat Restoration," 10 Sep. 2019 This is by design, cofounder Nicolas Jammet tells me in Sweetgreen’s Soho location between bites of the seasonal mesclun, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, chicken, apple, and cranberry maple dressing salad. — Cam Wolf, GQ, "Moral Fiber: The Healthier-Than-Thou Design Philosophy That Took Over Your Favorite Salad Chain," 13 Apr. 2018 Goodies include items such as seasonal veggies, Cajun sweet potatoes, sweet pickled japalenos, Bitty's choice nuts, and cheeses. — Julia Sayers, AL.com, "Where to get the city's healthiest, tastiest bowl meals," 16 Jan. 2018 The gigantic spud weighed 81 pounds, 9 ounces, which was three times heavier than the second-place 24.9-pound sweet potato grown by Lebanese farmer Khalil Semhat (shown above) in 2008. — Olivia Putnal, Woman's Day, "10 Larger-Than-Life Thanksgiving Staples," 16 Nov. 2010

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

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First Known Use of sweet potato

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for sweet potato

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The first known use of sweet potato was in 1750

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Statistics for sweet potato

Last Updated

13 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Sweet potato.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweet%20potato. Accessed 16 December 2019.

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More Definitions for sweet potato

sweet potato

noun

English Language Learners Definition of sweet potato

: a large root of a tropical plant that has orange skin and orange flesh, that is eaten as a vegetable, and that tastes sweet

See the full definition for sweet potato in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sweet potato

noun

Kids Definition of sweet potato

: the large sweet edible root of a tropical vine that is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

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More from Merriam-Webster on sweet potato

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with sweet potato

Spanish Central: Translation of sweet potato

Nglish: Translation of sweet potato for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of sweet potato for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sweet potato

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