iṣu noun /ī.ʃū/ spelling unconfirmed
Definitions
  1. any of the various species of wild and cultivated yam in the family Dioscorea
  2. tuber; (especially) yam tuber
  3. bulb; (especially) onion or garlic bulb
    ọmọ kùrùbútú búṣu ùdí ìlàǹbásà The man who is round like the bulb of an onion
Etymology
Cognate with Igala úchu, Ede Idaca icu, proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruba *u-cu, Proto-Edekiri *u-cu, ultimately from Proto-Yoruboid *ú-cu Possible cognates include Igbo ji, Nupe eci, Arigidi iʃɛ̃, Igasi Arigidi ìti, Uro/Aje Arigidi ìsi, Proto-Plateau *ì-tsit, Igede iju, Idoma ihi, Proto-Gbe *-te
Dialectal synonyms “yam” 38 varieties

Southeast Yoruba

Ìdóàní
èrún
Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)
uṣu
Ìjẹ̀bú Òde
uṣu
Ẹ̀pẹ́
uṣu
Ìkòròdú
iṣu
Ṣágámù
uṣu
Òkìtìpupa
usu
Mahin
usu
Oǹdó
uṣu
Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)
uchu
Usẹn
usu

Ìtsẹkírì

Ìwẹrẹ
awará

Central Yoruba

Àdó Èkìtì
uṣu
Àkúrẹ́
uṣu
Ọ̀tùn Èkìtì
uṣu
Iléṣà (Uléṣà)
uṣu
Òkè Igbó
isu

Northwest Yoruba

Èbúté Mẹ́tà
iṣu
Abẹ́òkúta
iṣu
Èkó
iṣu
Ìbàdàn
isu
Òṣogbo (Òsogbo)
isu
Ìlọrin
isu
Òtù
ichu
Ìwéré Ilé
ichu
Òkèhò
isu
Ìsẹ́yìn
isu
Ṣakí
isu
Tedé
isu
Ìgbẹ́tì
isu
Ọ̀yọ́
isu
Nàìjíríà
iṣu
Bɛ̀nɛ̀
ishu

Northeast Yoruba/Okun

Kabba
usuisu

Ede languages/Southwest Yoruba

Igbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)
icu
Akpáré
itsu
Atakpamɛ
itsu
Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)
itsu
View the dialect map on Wiktionary ↗
Used in
Related terms
ègbodònoun ọdún Ìjẹṣuname
Descendants
adʒuArigidi
Source: Wiktionary, where this word is spelled “iṣu”. Reference: en-iṣu-yo-noun-ArOn-fVY