jicama
UK[ˈhɪkəmə]US[ˈhiːkəmə]
n
the crisp, white-fleshed, edible tuber of a tropical american vine, eaten raw or cooked.
n
the tropical american vine (pachyrhizus erosus) that produces this tuber.
Etymology
the word 'jicama' entered english from mexican spanish, preserving its original new world reference. its ultimate source is the classical nahuatl word 'xīcamatl', which named the edible tuber. nahuatl, the language of the aztec empire, contributed numerous terms for flora, fauna, and cultural items previously unknown to europeans. as a loanword, 'jicama' traveled directly from its indigenous source through spanish colonization into english, with its form adapting to spanish and then english phonology while its meaning remained tightly bound to the specific plant and its edible root.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from mexican spanish, which in turn borrowed it from the nahuatl language (specifically, the classical nahuatl word 'xīcamatl').
Examples
the salad was topped with crunchy strips of jicama.
jicama is often seasoned with lime juice and chili powder.
we grew jicama in our garden this year, and the vines were quite prolific.