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 Charlotte Thanksgiving sandwich layers turkey, sweet potato and cranberry, while the Colombian paisa sandwich brings together beef, sweet plantains and avocado. —Tristan Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026

Goat's beard, sweet potato vine 'Sweetheart Purple', and Superbells 'Lemon' combine for a pretty grouping in a vintage container. —Midwest Living, 22 Apr. 2026

Place a clump of the sweet potato strings on top of the aioli. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026

In fact, your sweet potato crop will be better with less water during the last few weeks before harvesting. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026

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