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
Instead of going into the trash, food scraps from the kitchen — potato peels, onion butts, kale ribs — go into the compost bin, too.
—
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Beef stew cooked with lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, and fresh parsley.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 4 Jan. 2026
Pour it over grits, biscuits, ham, potatoes, or even cornbread.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
But immediately after the enormous potato finished its descent, an explosion erupted from an area where fireworks were being lit.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for potato
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Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Beef stew cooked with lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, and fresh parsley.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 4 Jan. 2026
Pour it over grits, biscuits, ham, potatoes, or even cornbread.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
But immediately after the enormous potato finished its descent, an explosion erupted from an area where fireworks were being lit.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 1 Jan. 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 6 Jan. 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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