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Today it means

taro

a starchy root vegetable, a staple food across the Pacific Islands

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Where does the word "taro" come from? It comes from Proto-Polynesian talo, and was adopted directly into English (1700s-1800s).

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Where does the word "taro" come from? It comes from Proto-Polynesian talo, and was adopted directly into English (1700s-1800s).

Taro’s story begins in Proto-Polynesian: talo meant “taro root.” The name for the starchy root vegetable central to Pacific diets. It reached English by 1700s-1800s as taro. Captain Cook recorded 'taro' in Tahiti; poi is made from it. Today, taro means a starchy root vegetable, a staple food across the Pacific Islands.

  1. Stage 1 · Proto-Polynesian · ancient talo "taro root", the name for the starchy root vegetable central to Pacific diets.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1700s-1800s taro "a starchy tropical root vegetable", Captain Cook recorded 'taro' in Tahiti; poi is made from it.

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