kumara
New Zealand English word for sweet potato, borrowed directly from Maori.
Definitions
New Zealand English word for sweet potato, borrowed directly from Maori. The standard New Zealand term, carrying no slang register — simply what sweet potatoes are called in New Zealand. The kumara is also culturally significant, having been brought to New Zealand by Polynesian ancestors before European contact, and it features prominently in Maori cuisine and tradition.
She roasted a tray of kumara with olive oil and rosemary to serve alongside the lamb.
Comments
(New Zealand) The sweet potato.
Kumara means: The sweet potato.. It is mainly New Zealand English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
kumara means: The sweet potato.. Register: informal, New Zealand English. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
“Not balls, but Alison Holst has a great pumpkin and kumara soup with peanut butter blended through it. It's even what I had for dinner tonight (from a batch I made a couple of weeks back).”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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