Tapioca
/ˌtæp.iˈoʊ.kə/noun
A starchy substance or food made from cassava root, often used as pearls, flour, or pudding.
Did you know?The word entered European languages from Tupi-Guarani, where it referred to the starch settled from cassava juice—proof that even dessert words can carry Indigenous knowledge across centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian
Tupi
tipi'óka
“starch or sediment made from cassava juice”
16th Century
Portuguese
tapioca
“cassava starch or cakes made from it, borrowed from Indigenous Brazilian languages”
17th Century
French
tapioca
“a starch or preparation made from cassava”
18th Century
English
tapioca
“a starchy foodstuff derived from cassava”
Modern English
English
tapioca
“a starch used in puddings, pearls, and other foods”
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