potato
UK: pəˈteɪ.təʊ | US: pəˈteɪ.toʊ
n. a starchy, edible tuber from the plant Solanum tuberosum, widely cultivated as a food crop
n. (informal) a person or thing regarded as unremarkable or unimportant
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The word "potato" entered English in the mid-16th century from Spanish patata, itself derived from the Taíno (Caribbean Indigenous language) word batata, which originally referred to the sweet potato. Spanish explorers later applied the term to the Andean papa (Quechua for the common potato), leading to confusion. The spelling "potato" (with an extra o) emerged in English due to folk etymology, possibly influenced by words like "pot" or "potage." The word lacks clear morphemes in English, as it is a loanword with no native root structure.
She mashed the potato with butter and cream for dinner.
The farmer harvested a bumper crop of potatoes this year.
He’s such a couch potato—he never exercises.
Sweet potatoes are often confused with yams in some regions.
The recipe calls for two large potatoes, peeled and diced.