Sweet Potato: Definition, Nutrition & Uses

Meaning 1：a sweet orange root vegetable (Sweet Potato)

Sweet Potato 🔊

/swiːt pəˈteɪtoʊ/

A root vegetable that is sweet, often orange inside, and used in cooking for its taste and health benefits.

Baked sweet potato sliced open showing orange flesh

a sweet orange root vegetable 🔊

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/ə swiːt ˈɔrɪndʒ ruːt ˈvɛdʒtəbəl/

A sweet potato is a nutritious root vegetable with orange flesh, known for its natural sweetness and health benefits. It is commonly baked, boiled, or fried.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Compound of 'sweet' (Old English swēte) and 'potato' (Spanish patata, from Taíno batata).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a naturally sweet potato as a healthy dessert; just add cinnamon.

📖 Example

For a healthy snack, I often bake a sweet potato and add a little cinnamon. 🔊 For a healthy snack, I often bake a sweet potato and add a little cinnamon.

🔗 Collocations

baked sweet potato – a sweet potato cooked in an oven until soft

sweet potato fries – sweet potatoes cut into strips and fried or baked

sweet potato pie – a dessert pie made with mashed sweet potatoes

🔄 Synonyms

yam (n.) – a tuberous root vegetable often mistaken for sweet potato, but botanically different

kumara (n.) – the New Zealand name for sweet potato

batata (n.) – Spanish term for sweet potato

🚫 Antonyms

potato (n.) – the common white potato, less sweet and starchier

🌱 Derivatives

sweet potato vine (n.) – the climbing plant that produces sweet potatoes

sweet potato casserole (n.) – a baked dish made with mashed sweet potatoes, often topped with marshmallows

📖 Cultural Story

Sweet potato originated in Central/South America. The Spanish brought it to Europe in the 16th century. The name distinguishes it from the common potato.