cocoyam
|co-co-yam|
🇺🇸
/ˈkoʊkəˌjæm/
🇬🇧
/ˈkəʊkəˌjæm/
starchy tropical tuber
Etymology
'cocoyam' originates from Caribbean English, probably ultimately from a West African language (possibly Akan), specifically the local word 'kokoyam', where 'koko-' referred to a tuber and '-yam' referred to a starchy root.
'cocoyam' changed from a West African/Caribbean local word 'kokoyam' and entered English in the 18th–19th century as 'cocoyam', eventually becoming the modern English word 'cocoyam'.
Initially, it meant a general starchy tuber (covering various local aroid species), but over time it evolved into the current meaning: the edible tuber or the plant of Colocasia or Xanthosoma species used as food.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an edible starchy tuber (root) of certain aroid plants—especially species of Colocasia (taro) or Xanthosoma—used as a staple food in parts of Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia.
Cocoyam is a staple food in many West African countries.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the plant that produces cocoyams (the aroid plant, including its leaves and stems), cultivated for its edible tubers.
Farmers planted cocoyam along the riverbanks.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/08 23:55