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
Fox News Digital reached out to Potatoes USA, a marketing and research organization representing potato farmers throughout the country, for comment.
—
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
But many vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and potatoes, are more often eaten cooked, which can alter their vitamin C content.
—Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 9 Feb. 2026
Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are very tender, nearly falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
To confirm that your potatoes are ready for harvest, do a little exploratory digging and check the skin.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for potato
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
But many vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and potatoes, are more often eaten cooked, which can alter their vitamin C content.
—Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 9 Feb. 2026
Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are very tender, nearly falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
To confirm that your potatoes are ready for harvest, do a little exploratory digging and check the skin.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 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 14 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
