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Taro vs Yam - What's the difference?

taro | yam |

As nouns the difference between taro and yam

is that taro is Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato while yam is any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated.

As a proper noun Taro

is a river and valley in Italy.

taro

English

Noun

(en-noun) (wikipedia taro)
  • Colocasia esculenta , raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.
  • Any of several other species with similar corms and growth habit in Colocasia'', ''Alocasia etc.
  • Food from a taro plant.

    • Synonyms

    * (Colocasia esculenta) colocasia, elephant ears * (similar plants) * (edible portion) dasheen

    Hyponyms

    * (similar plants) giant taro, Alocasia'' and species, especially ; ''Xanthosoma sagittifolium

    Derived terms

    * Chinese taro, chinese taro * giant swamp taro * giant taro * metallic taro * swamp taro * taro flying frog

    See also

    * eddo

    Anagrams

    * ----

    yam

    English

    (wikipedia yam)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) inhame and (etyl) . The term was coined in .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (botany) Any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated
  • The edible, starchy, tuberous root of that plant, a tropical staple food.
  • (US) A sweet potato; a tuber from the species Ipomoea batatas .
  • (Scotland) Potato.
    • Usage notes
    Careful use distinguishes yams (genus Dioscorea'') from sweet potatoes (''Ipomoea batatas ), while casual American use conflates these.
    Derived terms
    * Chinese yam * purple yam * wild yam * yamless

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (West Cumbria) home.

    • Anagrams

    * ----