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

The quick-service concept offers not only a dozen varieties of cobbler, including mango peach, strawberry and sweet potato pecan; but selections of banana pudding, brownies, cookies, cinnamon rolls, Belgian waffles and churros. —Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

Try some French marigolds, short snapdragon varieties, or begonias. Add a spiller, such as petunias or sweet potato vines, to cascade down the front of the pot. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2025

By now your vegetable garden should be all planned out and seeds purchased, or at least ordered, as well as onion sets or plants, seed potatoes and sweet potato slips. —Dr. Matthew Lisy, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025

Small plates include purple sweet potato roll, rainbow roll, lobster tempura roll, spicy tuna roll, sake nigiri and Hamachi nigiri. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 15 June 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