yam
The edible starchy tuberous root of various vines of the genus Dioscorea. A sweet potato.
Of West African origin < Fulani [a West African pastoral people and their language] nyami, "to eat" from Wolof [a West African people of Senegal and their language] ņam, "food", "to eat" or Mandingo [a group of peoples and languages of the Niger valley of West Africa] ņambu, manioc (also called cassava, the source of tapioca). [from AHD]
Words of African Origin include:
- addax (an antelope with twisted horns) Latin of African origin
- baobab (n. African)
- boogie-woogie
- dashiki
- dik-dik (antelope) E. African
- giraffe <Fench < Italian < Arabic < of African origin
- gnu < Chosa
- goober peanut (Bantu)
- gorilla < Greek, of African origin
- Gullah (a language based on English and containing elements from various African languages) from Angola or Gola (a people of Sierra Leone)
- hoodoo bad luck W. African
- impala Zulu
- juba (a dance of W. African origin--wd origin unknown)
- kalimba mus. instr. < Bantu
- limbo (the dance)
- mbira mus. instr. < Bantu
- oba chief or king
- okra W. Afr
- opah W. Afr
- oregano Greek, of N. African origin
- raffia
- samba Port. prob. of Afr. origin
- sassy (the tree) W. Afr
- tsetse fly Sotho
- voodoo
- juke
- A roadside drinking establishment that offers inexpensive drinks, food, and music for dancing.
- To dance, especially in a roadside drinking establishment or to the music of a jukebox. [Probably from Gullah juke, joog, disorderly, wicked, of West African origin Wolof dzug, to live wickedly Mandingo dzugu, wicked.]
Return to WORDS