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 Chicken leg and thigh had been brined in buttermilk and dredged in potato flour for a crust with a tight, rippling crackle. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 Starches: Cornstarch, potato starch, and tapioca starch keep things tender, soft, and chewy. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2024 Turnip Colcannon This lighter twist on colcannon features turnips rather than potatoes. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The sauce was for pasta, heaped liberally with grated Parmesan; the schnitzel was served with lemon and occasionally capers, with potatoes alongside. Yotam Ottolenghi, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Add ham to potato mixture: Chop cooked ham, and stir into potato mixture. Emily Nabors Hall, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 On the menu: A tin of chilled caviar, potato latkes, and freshly sliced lemon wedges and garnishes elegantly arranged on a pastel petal plate from Sophie Lou Jacobson. Talia Abbas, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 Tapas on the menu at Bodega Biondi include meatballs, Italian beef sliders, gnocchi, Galician-style octopus and tortilla espanola, a Spanish-style omelet with potatoes, onion, romesco sauce and garlic aioli. Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Be sure to order them with the crispy potatoes that are coated with Asian chile glaze and scallion crema. 600 Walnut St., Downtown. The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 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 28 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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