Where does “yam” come from?
yam (Dutch) comes from English Yam, from Old Norse heim, from Old Norse heimr, from Proto-Germanic haimaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóymos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.
yam (Dutch): yam, a tropical vine; its edible root
Definitions
- yam, a tropical vine; its edible root
Ancestry of “yam”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Yam | Any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated |
| 2 | Old Norse | heim | home, homewards; accusative singular indefinite... |
| 3 | Old Norse | heimr | realm, region within walking distance to a þing... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | haimaz | home; house; village |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóymos | of the home, belonging to the family; village,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |