malanga

[ muh-lang-guh ]

noun

1. a thick, fleshy-leaved South American plant, Xanthosoma atrovirens, of the arum family, having leaves up to 3 feet (90 centimeters) long and nearly 2 feet (60 centimeters) wide.

Word History and Origins

Origin of malanga¹

First recorded in 1850–55; from Latin American Spanish, from Kongo malánga “taro”

Example Sentences

A month after Hurricane Ian hit Cuba, Diaz was farming malanga root, a Cuban staple that is more resilient to climate change, but less profitable than beans.

From Seattle Times

Filling, starchy vegetables like plantains, name, malanga and yautia are not profitable crops, but they were staples long before the arrival of mainland restaurant chains in the 1950s.

From New York Times

"Chávez has only one idea," said a nearby fruit vendor, Roberto González, 64, chopping a purple malanga as he talked about Chávez's socialist revolution.

From Time

But the special delight of the Samoan is the malanga.

From Project Gutenberg

But the special delight of the Samoan is the malanga. 

From Project Gutenberg