potato

noun, often attributive po·ta·to \ pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tō , -tə , dialectal pə-ˈdā- , bə- \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of potato

plural potatoes

1 : sweet potato

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

See potato defined for English-language learners

See potato defined for kids

Examples of potato in a Sentence

She's growing carrots and potatoes in her garden this year.

Recent Examples of potato from the Web

Each year, 35 million pounds of potatoes and 10 million pounds of corn — all produced in Texas — are processed at the San Antonio plant.

— paul takahashi, San Antonio Express-News, "H-E-B snack plant to rise in northwest Houston," 13 June 2018
There is your basic choice between four entrees (beef, chicken, fish, and pork) with the sides for each being the same regardless of entree choice (potatoes and green beans, say).

— isaac weeks, Billboard, "Ray Stevens Is Latest Country Star to Launch Own Venue With His CabaRay Showroom," 9 June 2018
Take the pomme frites ($14), which are comprised of sidewinders, a cut of potato that is best described as what happens when a curly and wedge fry meet.

— anna caplan, star-telegram, "Fries? Check. Wonderfully messy sandwiches? Check. Roll of paper towels? Absolutely," 6 June 2018
The tots themselves are house made, and true tots this time, comprised of pieces of potato.

— BostonGlobe.com, "TAVERN IN THE SQUARE," 23 May 2018
Make long, shallow, lengthwise cuts into tops of each potato.

— cholula® hot sauce, Bon Appetit, "We’ve Loaded Up These Sweet Potatoes with Some of Your Favorite Flavors," 21 May 2018
An Oakland Park food distributor recalled 1,200 bags of Peruvian dry potato because of undeclared sulfites.

— david j. neal, miamiherald, "They forgot to tell you about the sulfites in this food. So, it's being recalled | Miami Herald," 16 May 2018
Bits of potato and carrots accompany the beef, ensuring the flavor base is strong and that this stew is entirely satisfying.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Haitian food at Caribbean Cafe will transport your taste buds to the small island," 4 Apr. 2018
The insides get super soft, the skin gets soft and tender (because wrapping them in foil creates a little bit of steam), and there are bits of caramelization dotting the outside of each potato.

— christine byrne, SELF, "9 Smart Cooking Tricks That Make Meal Prep So Much More More Delicious," 15 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'potato.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of potato

Origin and Etymology of potato

Spanish batata, from Taino

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1565

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

POTATO Defined for Kids

potato

noun po·ta·to \ pə-ˈtā-tō \

Definition of potato for Students

plural potatoes

: the thick edible usually rounded underground tuber of a widely grown South American plant that is eaten as a vegetable

Learn More about potato

See words that rhyme with potato Spanish Central: Translation of potato Nglish: Translation of potato for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of potato for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about potato

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potato

Definition of potato

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