potato

noun

po·​ta·​to pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce potato (audio)
-tə,
 dialectal  pə-ˈdā-,
bə- How to pronounce potato (audio)
plural potatoes
often attributive
1
2
a
: an erect South American herb (Solanum tuberosum) of the nightshade family widely cultivated for its edible starchy tuber
b
: the tuber of a potato

called also Irish potato, spud, white potato

Illustration of potato

Illustration of potato
  • potato 2a

Examples of potato in a Sentence

She's growing carrots and potatoes in her garden this year.
Recent Examples on the Web The biggest difference is that au gratin potatoes are made with cheese and scalloped potatoes are not. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Also on the brunch menu is a raw bar, featuring a fresh variety of shellfish, caviar, and oysters, along with an array of savory options like their famous potato pave tots topped with a dollop of Hackleback Caviar, or the salmon Benedict and Vault burger. Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Each bear cub was the size of a potato and their eyes were still closed. Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 29 Feb. 2024 Moriah drove me down a dirt road to the land below the outpost, where Palestinians grew wheat and potatoes. Shane Bauer, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 A bit about farmer Brandon Rogers Rogers, 29, is a potato and barley farmer who lives in Center, Colorado, on his 1,000-acre farm, according to Fox. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Customers have been known to drive 40 minutes to claim their spot in the busy dining room and indulge in the dry-aged brisket tamales, Flintstones-size beef ribs, and generous helpings of luscious creamed corn and potato salad. Kayla Stewart, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2024 Occupation: Second-generation potato and barley farmer. The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Step two: roughly chop the onions and potatoes (peeled, unpeeled, whatever). Benjamin Dubow, Longreads, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'potato.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish batata, from Taino

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of potato was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near potato

Cite this Entry

“Potato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potato. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

potato

noun
po·​ta·​to pə-ˈtāt-ō How to pronounce potato (audio) pət-ˈāt- How to pronounce potato (audio)
plural potatoes
1
2
a
: an erect South American herb widely cultivated for its thick starchy edible underground tubers
b
: one of these edible tubers

called also Irish potato, spud, white potato

More from Merriam-Webster on potato

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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