yam

Where does the word "yam" come from? It comes from Wolof/Fulani nyami, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Yam’s story begins in Wolof/Fulani: nyami meant “to eat.” Literally to eat, describing the starchy root eaten across West Africa. It reached English by 1600s as yam. Settled as the word for the starchy tuber. Today, yam means a starchy edible tuber grown in tropical regions.

1. Stage 1 · Wolof/Fulani · 1500s nyami "to eat", literally to eat, describing the starchy root eaten across West Africa.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s yam "a starchy edible tuber", settled as the word for the starchy tuber.