1. Any of numerous chiefly tropical vines of the genus Dioscorea, many of which have edible tuberous roots.
2. The starchy root of any of these plants, used in the tropics as food.
3. Chiefly Southern U.S. See sweet potato (sense 1). See Regional Note at goober.

[Portuguese inhame or obsolete Spanish igname, iñame, both from Portuguese and English Creole nyam, to eat, of West African origin, akin to Wolof ñam, food, to eat.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.