Manioc
/ˈmæn.i.ɒk/noun
A tropical shrub whose starchy tuberous root is eaten as food and used to make tapioca.
Did you know?The English word comes through Portuguese and French from a Tupi word, and the plant’s bitter varieties had to be detoxified before they were safe to eat, making it a literal survival technology.
Etymological Timeline
Indigenous South America
Tupi
mani'oka
“The cassava plant and its root”
16th Century
Portuguese
mandioca
“Cassava root and plant, borrowed from Tupi”
17th Century
French
manioc
“Cassava plant and its edible root”
18th Century
English
manioc
“The cassava plant and its starchy root”
Modern English
English
manioc
“A tropical plant whose root is used as food”