potato

noun

po·​ta·​to pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce potato (audio)
-tə
dialectal pə-ˈdā-, 
bə- How to pronounce potato (audio)
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

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
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.
Some of these claims stem from the observation that nicotine is a naturally occurring plant compound found primarily in tobacco and in nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant in trace amounts. — Hasmeena Kathuria, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Divide beef mixture among potatoes and top with reserved cilantro leaves. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 The dishes by executive chef Sander Bierenbroodspot often contain Dutch ingredients, such as the Old Amsterdam cheese in the gnocchi with truffle and egg or shrimp served with halibut, mashed potato, and roasted onion. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Lamb Weston, which sells frozen fries and other potato products, said on Tuesday that its profit and revenue during its latest quarter topped its projections, for example. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for potato

Word History

Etymology

Spanish batata, from Taino

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of potato was in 1565

Phrases Containing potato

Rhymes for potato

See All Rhymes for potato

Browse Nearby Words

potation
potato
potato alcohol
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Potato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potato. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

potato

noun
po·​ta·​to pə-ˈtāt-ō How to pronounce potato (audio) pət-ˈāt- How to pronounce potato (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on potato

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about potato

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