Spanish word

yuca

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʝuka/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncassava

Example

Me encanta la yuca frita.

I love fried cassava.

Illustration for yuca (cassava)

More examples

Probé el puré de yuca en el restaurante.

I tried the cassava purée at the restaurant.

Core concept

White, starchy root peeled and processed into flour or cut into pieces for frying.

Common phrases

  • yuca frita

    fried cassava

  • puré de yuca

    cassava purée

  • harina de yuca

    cassava flour

Similar words

mandioca: Staple cassava tuber in South America, typically boiled, mashed, or roasted.
tapioca: Powdery starch from cassava root used to make tapioca desserts and thicken sauces.

Definition in Spanish

Raíz comestible de la planta Manihot esculenta, rica en almidón y usada en la cocina para freír, hervir o convertir en harina.

Word origin

Spanish yuca derives directly from Taíno, recorded by early colonists to name Manihot esculenta, the starchy South American root.

Usage tips

  • Spanish yuca is spelled with a single c while the English ornamental yucca has two c's, which helps when reading menus or searching recipes.

Word lists with this word