yucca

noun

yuc·​ca ˈyə-kə How to pronounce yucca (audio)
1
: any of a genus (Yucca) of sometimes arborescent plants of the asparagus family that occur in warm regions chiefly of western North America and have long sword-shaped often stiff fibrous-margined leaves on a usually woody base and bear a large panicle of white blossoms
2

Illustration of yucca

Illustration of yucca

Examples of yucca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 32 basket and gourd artworks by 14 artists are made from nature, out of materials ranging from willow, grasses and yucca to rushes. Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025 To eat, there are carne asada or mushroom empanadas ($8 each), mahi mahi skewers with mango habanero salsa ($20), buffalo meatballs ($16) or seabass ceviche and yucca chips ($18) – plus rosemary truffle fries ($9). John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025 The second course brings out an abundance of salads, plantains, yucca, collard greens, and feijoada (the classic black bean and meat stew). Melissa Malamut, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025 Artango Bar & Steakhouse will be offering a $60 three-course meal, with options including ceviche nikkei, bife de chorizo and flan, while Bar Tabu will serve a $45 five-course meal, with options including chips and salsa, yucca fries, surf and turf flautas, asada tacos and churro bites. Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yucca

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Spanish yuca, of unknown origin

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of yucca was in 1664

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yucca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yucca. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

yucca

noun
yuc·​ca ˈyək-ə How to pronounce yucca (audio)
: any of a genus of plants that are related to the agaves, grow in warm dry regions mostly of western North America, have long pointed often stiff leaves, and produce a tall stiff stalk with whitish flowers

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