potato

noun

po·​ta·​to pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tō 

-tə

dialectal pə-ˈdā-, 

bə- 

plural potatoes

often attributive

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

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

For $40 per adult and $22 per child, the holiday meal includes turkey breast, a soup or salad, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 2025

Open up wide for the potatoes and Mexican chorizo inside, topped with lettuce, cheese and cream. —Terry Ward, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025

Lamb Weston, a producer and distributor of frozen potato products, is the most oversold stock on the screen RSI below 29. —Pia Singh, CNBC, 15 Nov. 2025

Mashed potatoes are a must, of course—Garten’s Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes recipe is perfect for preparing ahead of time. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish batata, from Taino

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing potato

• Colorado potato beetle
• couch potato
• fingerling potato
• hot potato
• Irish potato
• jacket potato
• mouse potato
• new potato
• potato beetle
• potato blight
• potato bug
• potato chip
• potato crisp
• potato leafhopper
• potato pancake
• potato tuberworm
• seed potato
• small potato
• sweet potato
• white potato

Rhymes for potato

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

potato

noun

po·​ta·​to pə-ˈtāt-ō  pət-ˈāt- 

plural potatoes

1

: sweet potato sense 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