cocoyam

/ ˈkəʊkəʊˌjæm /

noun

1. either of two food plants of West Africa, the taro or the yantia, both of which have edible underground stems
2. the underground stem of either of these plants

Word History and Origins

Origin of cocoyam¹

C20: from cocoa + yam

Example Sentences

Her sister-in-law intervened and managed to save a small portion of land where Ujah now cultivates cocoyam, a root vegetable.

From Seattle Times

A vibrantly green cocoyam plant was growing on the spot.

From Literature

In Ghana, for instance, there are two types of cocoyam.

From New York Times

I watched her pound the cocoyams, dipping the pestle often into the bowl of water so the cocoyam wouldn’t stick too much to it.

From Literature

He also has a row of Nigerian corn; cocoyam, a root vegetable; and “nchanwu,” a spice that tastes like a hybrid of basil and oregano.

From New York Times