madumbi, noun

/maˈdʊːmbi//məˈdʊːmbi/
Forms:
idumbi, madombeShow more singular idumbi, madombe, madumbi; singular and plural amadumbe, amadumbi; plural amadoombies, amadumbies, amadumbis, madombes, madumbe, madumbes, madumbies.
Plurals:
usually madumbies.
Origin:
IsiZuluShow more IsiZulu amadumbe (singular idumbe, ilidumbe). For explanations of singular and plural usages, see ama- and ma- prefix3.
The edible root of the plants Colocasia esculenta and C. antiquorum of the Araceae, similar to the sweet-potato. Also attributive.
Note:
Introduced from the East Indies, the plant is cultivated mainly in KwaZulu-Natal.
1851 R.J. Garden Diary. I. (Killie Campbell Africana Library MS29081) 30 JuneFor dinner yesterday we had some amadumbe, a kind of succelent [sic], they require a great deal of boiling.
1852 R.J. Garden Diary. I. (Killie Campbell Africana Library MS29081) 24 Apr.Sweet Potatoes, Amadumbis, Sugar Cane, Matingolas, & Pineapples.
1856 Cape of G.H. Almanac & Annual Register 282An edible root resembling the wild turnip (arum) called ‘idumbi’.
1899 G. Russell Hist. of Old Durban 146Cash..was scarce, consequently people in the country bartered..Pumpkins, Amadoombies (an edible potato-like root).
1925 D. Kidd Essential Kafir 323There is also a waxy sort of potato called amadumbe, which seems to be made of a specially tough kind of guttapercha, so fearfully solid and indigestible is it.
1951 Off. Yr Bk of Union No. 25, 1949 (Union Office of Census & Statistics) 473Of the root crops, madumbies are generally grown on the North coast of Natal.
1953 R. Campbell Mamba’s Precipice 148He fished a hot madumbi, or native potato, out of the pot.
c1963 B.C. Tait Durban Story 66A root of the potato family known as Amadoombies.
1970 Heard & Faull Cookery in Sn Afr. 477Amadumbi shoots — This is the most delicious of all the imifinos.
1990 H. Hutchings in Weekend Post 26 May (Leisure) 7I had some difficulty in finding out what exactly madombes were, except..that they were a highly nutritious form of food.
The edible root of the plants Colocasia esculenta and C. antiquorum of the Araceae, similar to the sweet-potato. Also attributive.
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IsiZulu
madressa, nounn.maffick, verb intransitivev.
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