sweet potato

noun

1

: a tropical vine (Ipomoea batatas) of the morning-glory family that is often grown for its edible tuberous root or for its ornamental variously shaped green to purple leaves and usually white to pinkish funnel-shaped flowers with pink to purple centers

also : the large thick sweet and nutritious tuberous root of the sweet potato that has beige, yellow, orange, red, or purple flesh and is cooked and eaten as a vegetable compare yam sense 2

2

: ocarina

Examples of sweet potato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Add sweet potato; cover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally. —Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025

Flavors include sweet potato pie, banana pudding and cognac caramel. —Alice Gibbs, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025

The Habit Burger Grill also serves up salads and side dishes including fries onion rings, sweet potato fries and tempura green beans. —Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025

In a matter of weeks the shoots, called slips, should start to appear and grow the starts for your sweet potato planting. —Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sweet potato

• adagio
• altiplano
• arapaho
• arapahoe
• manifesto
• medicago
• minangkabau
• oregano
• ostinato
• pistachio
• politico
• portfolio

Kids Definition

sweet potato

noun

1

: a tropical vine related to the morning glories and having variously shaped leaves and purplish flowers

also : its large sweet starchy root that is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

2

: ocarina