Illustration of potato
- potato 2a
potato
noun
po·ta·to
pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tō 
-tə
dialectal pə-ˈdā-,
bə-
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
Examples of potato in a Sentence
She's growing carrots and potatoes in her garden this year.
Recent Examples on the Web
It's often served with white gravy or mashed potatoes.
—
Phoebe Evans, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
At the center of it all was owner, Kristina Balayan, who served us dolmas, trout, pickled vegetables, roasted potatoes, lubu shorva (red bean soup) and other specialties.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
In fact, the common liquor, distilled from grains or potatoes, can be a natural alternative to many synthetic cleaning products and an inexpensive, shelf-stable swap in a pinch.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
When temperatures drop, turn to comfort-food classics (like breaded or smothered pork chops) and serve them with one of our favorite hearty mashed potato recipes.
—Wini Moranville, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for potato
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Phoebe Evans, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
At the center of it all was owner, Kristina Balayan, who served us dolmas, trout, pickled vegetables, roasted potatoes, lubu shorva (red bean soup) and other specialties.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
In fact, the common liquor, distilled from grains or potatoes, can be a natural alternative to many synthetic cleaning products and an inexpensive, shelf-stable swap in a pinch.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
When temperatures drop, turn to comfort-food classics (like breaded or smothered pork chops) and serve them with one of our favorite hearty mashed potato recipes.
—Wini Moranville, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for potato
Cite this Entry
“Potato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potato. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plural potatoes
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
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