YAM

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does yam mean? 

• YAM (noun)
  The noun YAM has 4 senses:

1. edible tuber of any of several yams

2. any of a number of tropical vines of the genus Dioscorea many having edible tuberous roots

3. sweet potato with deep orange flesh that remains moist when baked

4. edible tuberous root of various yam plants of the genus Dioscorea grown in the tropics world-wide for food

  Familiarity information: YAM used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• YAM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Edible tuber of any of several yams

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("yam" is a kind of...):

tuber (a fleshy underground stem or root serving for reproductive and food storage)

Holonyms ("yam" is a part of...):

yam; yam plant (any of a number of tropical vines of the genus Dioscorea many having edible tuberous roots)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any of a number of tropical vines of the genus Dioscorea many having edible tuberous roots

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

yam; yam plant

Hypernyms ("yam" is a kind of...):

vine (a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface)

Meronyms (parts of "yam"):

yam (edible tuber of any of several yams)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "yam"):

Dioscorea alata; water yam; white yam (grown in Australasia and Polynesia for its large root with fine edible white flesh)

Chinese yam; cinnamon vine; Dioscorea batata (hardy Chinese vine naturalized in United States and cultivated as an ornamental climber for its glossy heart-shaped cinnamon-scented leaves and in the tropics for its edible tubers)

air potato; Dioscorea bulbifera (yam of tropical Africa and Asia cultivated for it large tubers)

cush-cush; Dioscorea trifida (tropical American yam with small yellow edible tubers)

Holonyms ("yam" is a member of...):

Dioscorea; genus Dioscorea (yams)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Sweet potato with deep orange flesh that remains moist when baked

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("yam" is a kind of...):

sweet potato (the edible tuberous root of the sweet potato vine which is grown widely in warm regions of the United States)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Edible tuberous root of various yam plants of the genus Dioscorea grown in the tropics world-wide for food

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("yam" is a kind of...):

root vegetable (any of various fleshy edible underground roots or tubers)