yam

noun

ˈyam 

1

: the edible starchy tuberous root of various plants (genus Dioscorea of the family Dioscoreaceae) used as a staple food in tropical areas

also : a plant producing yams

2

: a moist usually orange-fleshed sweet potato

Examples of yam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ube is a Filipino purple yam with mild sweetness and a vivid purple color. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026

His mother was a dark-skinned granddaughter of Saint Ann’s enslaved whose peasant kin farmed dasheen and yams. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

In the produce section, there’s a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including Hawaiian purple yams, kabocha squash, yuca root, papayas, jackfruit, tomatillos, poblano peppers, Indian eggplants and big tubs full of melons. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026

Candied yams might sound outdated to younger attendees, but this dish will be love at first bite. — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

earlier iname, from Portuguese inhame & Spanish ñame, of African origin; akin to Fulani nyami to eat

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for yam

• am
• bam
• cham
• clam
• damme
• damn
• dram
• flam
• fram
• gram
• ham
• jam

Kids Definition

yam

noun

ˈyam 

1

: an edible starchy root that is an important food in tropical areas

also : a plant producing yams

2

: a sweet potato with moist usually orange flesh