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Yam vs Cocoyam - What's the difference?

yam | cocoyam |

As nouns the difference between yam and cocoyam

is that yam is any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated while cocoyam is new cocoyam: Xanthosoma, particularly Xanthosoma sagittifolium, or the edible root of that plant; malanga.

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

    * ----

    cocoyam

    English

    (wikipedia cocoyam)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • New cocoyam: Xanthosoma'', particularly ''Xanthosoma sagittifolium , or the edible root of that plant; malanga.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2007, date=March 30, author=, title=Street Level, work=Chicago Reader citation
    • , passage=Ampesi, intensely flavored stews or soups, are eaten with fufu, a firm, starchy dumpling made from plantains or cocoyam . }}
  • Old cocoyam: Colocasia esculenta ; taro.

    • Synonyms

    * (new cocoyam) yautia, new cocoyam, otoe, otoy, macabo, malanga, quequisque * (old cocyam) taro, dasheen * (to be sorted) tanier, tannia, tannier, taioba