# yam

> English word · Noun · IPA /jæm/ · frequency rank #27,704

## Definitions
1. Any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated.
2. The edible, starchy, tuberous root of that plant, a tropical staple food.
3. A sweet potato; a tuber from the species Ipomoea batatas.
4. A potato.
5. An oca; a tuber from the species Oxalis tuberosa.
6. Taro.
7. An orange-brown colour, like the flesh of the yam.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Portuguese inhame and Spanish ñame, likely from Wolof ñàmbi (“cassava”) or a related word. The term was spelled yam as early as 1657.

## Easily confused with
- **yo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yo)
- **ye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-ye)
- **yu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yu)
- **yr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yr)
- **Yi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yi)
- **yt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yt)
- **Ys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-ys)
- **YG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yg)
- **YP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yp)
- **you** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-you)
- **yet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yet)
- **yes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yes)
- **yep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yep)
- **yea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yea)
- **yup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yup)
- **yay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yay)
- **yen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yen)
- **yan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yan)
- **yrs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yrs)
- **yoo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yam-vs-yoo)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/yam