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Yam vs Plantain - What's the difference?

yam | plantain |

As nouns the difference between yam and plantain

is that yam is any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated while plantain is a plant of the genus Plantago, with a rosette of sessile leaves about 10 cm long with a narrow part instead of a petiole, and with a spike inflorescence with the flower spacing varying widely among the species. See also psyllium.

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

    * ----

    plantain

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) plainteine et al., (etyl) plaintain, from (etyl) , because of the broad, flat shape of the plantain leaves.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A plant of the genus Plantago , with a rosette of sessile leaves about 10 cm long with a narrow part instead of a petiole, and with a spike inflorescence with the flower spacing varying widely among the species. See also psyllium.
  • * 1653 , (Nicholas Culpeper), The English Physician Enlarged , Folio Society 2007, p. 225:
    • The roots of Plantain and Pellitory of Spain beaten to powder and put into hollow teeth, takes away the pains of them.
  • *2003 , (Michael Hofmann), translating Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel , Penguin 2004, p. 41:
  • *:The paths too are overgrown, but easily identified by the presence on them of round-leaved plantains .
    • Synonyms
    * *
    Derived terms
    * * * * water plantain
    See also
    * (Plantago) * (Plantago) * (Plantago)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) plantano, obsolete variant of .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A plant in the genus Musa , the genus that includes banana, but with lower sugar content than banana.
  • The fruit of the plant, usually cooked before eating and used like potatoes.
    • Related terms
    * * * * (plantain cutter) * * * (plantain tree)
    See also
    * (wikipedia "plantain") * (Musa) * banana
    Quotations
    * (English Citations of "plantain") ----