/keuh sah"veuh/ , n.
1. any of several tropical American plants belonging to the genus Manihot, of the spurge family, as M. esculenta (bitter cassava) and M. dulcis (sweet cassava) , cultivated for their tuberous roots, which yield important food products.
2. a nutritious starch from the roots, the source of tapioca.
[ 1545-55; cazabe cassava bread or meal caçábi ]