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
The third course is dover sole meunière accompanied by potato pavé, spring ramps, snow peas and parsley oil.
—
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Finely mash 1 large banana, peeled, with a potato masher or fork in another small bowl; stir in ½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek).
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
Three hot stations toward the back offer bacon, sausage and frittatas; benedicts and potatoes; and filet, shrimp and veggie skewers.
—Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
Sides, all inventive, include elote or cilantro rice along with the typical coleslaw, potato salad and beans.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for potato
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Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Finely mash 1 large banana, peeled, with a potato masher or fork in another small bowl; stir in ½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek).
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
Three hot stations toward the back offer bacon, sausage and frittatas; benedicts and potatoes; and filet, shrimp and veggie skewers.
—Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
Sides, all inventive, include elote or cilantro rice along with the typical coleslaw, potato salad and beans.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 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 1 May. 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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