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ube
[< Philippine English < Tagalog]
DCHP-3.1 (Jan 2026)
1an. — Food & Drink, Ethnicities
a purple yam from the Philippines.
Type: 5. Frequency — In Canada, the increased presence of food and drinks made from ube is likely due to both the large population of Filipino immigrants and social media trends (see 2020 quotation). Ube is culturally significant to the Filipino community in a similar manner as maple is to Canada.
The OED-3 attests ube as of 1901. The term ube is not listed in Canadian Dictionaries COD-2 or Gage.
The OED-3 attests ube as of 1901. The term ube is not listed in Canadian Dictionaries COD-2 or Gage.
Quotations
2005
"There's a lot of pastries ... especially those nice ube cakes. Ube is a kind of yam, a purple yam. I have co-workers from the Caribbean and they haven't heard of the purple yam. They have the yam that is the orange kind but I let them try it and they loved it."
2015
What & Where: Halo-halo, which translates to "mix-mix," is a very popular dessert and true to its name: it's an over-the-top dessert parfait of Jello, fruit (bananas and mango), cooked tapioca, ice milk, ube (purple yam jam) and ... boiled beans?
1bn. — Food & Drink, Ethnicities
a sweet flavor derived from the purple yam, often used in pastries, ice cream, and beverages.
Type: 5. Frequency — While the introduction of ube to Canadian culture was a result of large-scale Filipino immigration to Canada, ube-flavoured food and beverages gained attention on social media for their unique and striking purple colouring. Big brands like Starbucks have even started incorporating ube into their marketing as a response to heightened demand for the Filipino staple (see Image 2).
Quotations
1992
Exotic locales are recalled in flavors like tamarind (from South America), ube (a Philippines type of purple yam), taro root (Southeast Asia), durian (a popular Far Eastern fruit) and Cynar (a Hungarian apertif made from artichokes).
2n. — Ethnicities, Canadian mosaic
a symbol for Filipinos in Canada and beyond.
Type: 4. Culturally Significant — For an example, see Image 1, which shows the storefront sign of Ube, a hobby shop in Vancouver that is "100% Filipino-owned and Filipino-run" (answer by store staff member, 4 Feb. 2026).
Quotations
2025
Join us for Ube Wonderland, a vibrant three-day celebration of Filipino culture! This immersive festival will highlight the culinary delights of ube, showcase Filipino arts, and feature live performances, all while integrating playful elements inspired by Canada’s Wonderland for a fun and family-friendly atmosphere.
References
- OED-3
- COD-2
Images
Image 1: Hobby store Ube in Dunbar, Vancouver, 4 February 2026. Photo: S. Dollinger
Image 2: Promotional sign outside a Starbucks on the University of British Columbia's Vancouver Campus, 4 March 2026. Photo: D. Evangelista
