Although it is unclear which came first, the word yam is related to Portuguese inhame or Spanish ñame, which both ultimately derive from the Wolof word nyam, meaning "to sample" or "taste"; in other African languages it can also mean "to eat", e.g. yamyam and doya in Hausa.
Yam tubers can grow up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length[1] and weigh up to 70 kg (154 lb).
