Cassava

cassava
    n 1: a starch made by leaching and drying the root of the
         cassava plant; the source of tapioca; a staple food in the
         tropics [syn: {cassava}, {cassava starch}, {manioc},
         {manioca}]
    2: cassava root eaten as a staple food after drying and
       leaching; source of tapioca [syn: {cassava}, {manioc}]
    3: any of several plants of the genus Manihot having fleshy
       roots yielding a nutritious starch [syn: {cassava}, {casava}]
    

Cassava \Cas"sa*va\ (k[a^]s"s[.a]*v[.a]), n. [F. cassave, Sp.
   cazabe, fr. kasabi, in the language of Haiti.]
   1. (Bot.) A shrubby euphorbiaceous plant of the genus
      {Manihot}, with fleshy rootstocks yielding an edible
      starch; -- called also {manioc}.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: There are two species, bitter and sweet, from which the
         cassava of commerce is prepared in the West Indies,
         tropical America, and Africa. The bitter ({Manihot
         utilissima}) is the more important; this has a
         poisonous sap, but by grating, pressing, and baking the
         root the poisonous qualities are removed. The sweet
         ({Manihot Aipi}) is used as a table vegetable.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. A nutritious starch obtained from the rootstocks of the
      cassava plant, used as food and in making tapioca.
      [1913 Webster]