potato
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: pə-tāʹtō
ipa: /pəˈteɪ.təʊ/
ipa: /pəˈteɪ.toʊ/
ipa: [-ˈteɪ.ɾoʊ]
other: /pəˈteɪ.tə/
note: Indic
ipa: /pɵˈʈaʈo/
note: Indic
ipa: /pɵˈʈeʈo/
ipa: /poˈteɪ.to/
Forms: form: potatoes
form: potatoe
form: p'tater
form: tater
Etymology: Borrowed from Spanish patata, itself borrowed from Taíno batata (“sweet potato”).
Senses: examples: text: Do not let your child have potato for another year; he will probably take milk well enough after he is weaned.
ref: 1891, “Condensed Replies to Various Letters”, in Leroy M[ilton] Yale, editor, Babyhood: The Mother’s Nursery Guide, Devoted to the Care of Children, volume VII, New York, N.Y.; London: Babyhood Publishing Company, page 230, column 2:
text: The protein value of this dish is equal to that of 1⅛ pounds of potato and beef, the fuel value, however, being much in excess of these.
ref: 1912, C[harles] F[ord] Langworthy, Caroline L[ouisa] Hunt, Cheese and Its Economical Uses in the Diet (Farmers’ Bulletin 487), Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, page 24:
text: A number of the children said that they had potato for breakfast, potato and herring for dinner, potato and milk for supper.
ref: 1915, Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Scotland, page 17:
text: What was that about potatoes? Were they just a thing from foreign parts, like coffee; a luxury, an extra? Oh, the potato is a lordly fruit; drought or downpour, it grows and grows all the same. It laughs at the weather, and will stand anything; only deal kindly with it, and it yields fifteen-fold again. … A man may lack grain to make bread, but give him potatoes and he will not starve. Roast them in embers, and there is supper; boil them in water, and there's a breakfast ready.
ref: 1917, Knut Hamsun, Growth of the Soil, Book 1, Ch.4, at p.34
text: Although the potato actually has no exciting value, it was believed, in the seventeenth century, to possess definite aphrodisiac qualities, and is frequent mentioned in this respect in Elizabethan drama.
ref: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 195:
text: Potatoes were introduced to Ireland in 1590 after being brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadores from their place of origin in the South American Andes.
ref: 2017, Anthony J. McMichael, Alistair Woodward, Cameron Muir, Climate Change and the Health of Nations, →ISBN, page 213:
text: The rocketing popularity of potatoes in London's diet led to the conversion of the temporary GNR passenger station north of the canal [...] as a dedicated potato terminal, whose significant traffic was stolen from coastal shipping.
ref: 2021 December 1, Nigel Harris, “St Pancras and King's Cross: 1947”, in RAIL, number 945, page 42:
glosses: A plant of species Solanum tuberosum or its edible starchy tuber.
glosses: A sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
glosses: A conspicuous hole in a sock or stocking.
glosses: A person or animal shaped like a potato, that is, with a large belly and/or short legs.
examples: text: I don't value Monſieur de Champignon a rotten potatoe; […]
ref: 1757, [Tobias Smollett], The Reprisal: Or, The Tars of Old England. […], London: […] R[oberts] Baldwin, […], →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 8:
glosses: Metaphor for a person or thing of little value.
glosses: Metaphor for a person or thing of little value.
A mentally handicapped person.
glosses: Metaphor for a person or thing of little value.
A camera that takes poor-quality pictures.
examples: text: When most people refer to their computers as a potato they're being hyperbolic, but not Ethan. He plays Overwatch at 800x600 resolution with all settings on low and is excited when he gets 30 fps.
ref: 2017 March 17, Steven Messner, “Overwatch community donates PC parts to fan who could barely run it at 800x600”, in PC Gamer:
text: If you want to have a go right now, then Famitracker will let you compose songs for the NES and it'll run on a Windows-operated potato.
ref: 2019 September 22, Benjamin Burns, “Meet the people making music with Mega Drives, Game Boys and gAtaris”, in Eurogamer:
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: Metaphor for a person or thing of little value.
An underpowered computer or other device, especially when small in size.
Synonyms: sense: plant
word: p'tater
sense: plant
word: spud
sense: plant
word: tater
sense: plant
word: tatie
sense: plant
word: tator
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: Donovan
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: earthapple
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: murphy
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: bog orange
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: Irish apricot
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: Irish fruit
topics: vegetable
food
lifestyle
word: mickey
sense: low-end computer
word: toaster
Derived terms: word: air potato
taxonomic: Dioscorea bulbifera
word: air-potato
word: all that and a bag of potato chips
word: almond potato
word: Amandine potato
word: Andean potato
word: Andean potato latent virus
word: Andean potato mottle virus
taxonomic: Premnotrypes spp.
word: Andean potato weevil
word: Anna potatoes
word: baked potato
word: baking potato
word: bastard potato
word: Bengal potatoes
word: Bintje potato
word: boiling potato
word: Bordet-Gengou potato blood agar
taxonomic: Solanum wrightii
word: Brazilian potato tree
word: Burbank potato
word: Burbank Russet potato
word: Canarian wrinkly potatoes
taxonomic: Solanum tuberosum
word: Caribe potato
taxonomic: Solanum tuberosum
word: Carolina potato
word: chat potatoes
word: chef's potato
word: Chilean potato-tree
taxonomic: Solanum crispum
word: Chilean potato vine
taxonomic: Coleus rotundifolius
word: Chinese potato
word: chipped potato
word: clean potato
word: cold-potato routing
word: coleus potato(Coleus rotundifolius)
taxonomic: Leptinotarsa decemlineata
word: Colorado potato beetle
word: couch potato
taxonomic: Coleus rotundifolius
word: country potato
word: Cree potato
word: Cuban sweet potato
word: Delmonico potato
word: desk potato
word: drop like a hot potato
word: duchess potatoes
word: duchesse potatoes
taxonomic: Sagittaria latifolia
word: duck potato
word: Eskimo potato
taxonomic: Leptinotarsa juncta
word: false potato beetle
word: fauxtato
word: fingerling potato
word: finger potato
word: fondante potato
word: fondant potato
word: frafra potato
word: French-fried potatoes
word: french fried potato
word: French fried potato
word: French-fried potato
word: french-fried potato
taxonomic: Solanum wendlandii
word: giant potato creeper
word: glasshouse and potato aphid
taxonomic: Aulacorthum solani
word: glasshouse-potato aphid
word: Goa potato
word: Greenfield potatoes
word: green potato
taxonomic: Coleus rotundifolius
word: Hausa potato
word: hog potato
word: hog's potato
word: home-fried potatoes
word: hot potato
word: hot-potato routing
taxonomic: Apios americana
word: Indian potato (Sagittaria latifolia,
word: Irish potato
word: jacket potato
taxonomic: Colocasia antiquorum
word: Japanese potato
word: Japanese sweet potato
word: Jersey Royal potatoes
word: Jerusalem potato
word: kidney potato
word: little potato
word: Livingstone potato
word: long white potato
word: Lyonnaise potatoes
taxonomic: Plectranthus rotundifolius
word: Madagascar potato
word: Maori potato
word: mashed potato
word: mashed potatoes
word: mash potato
word: meat and potatoes
taxonomic: Pachyrhizus erosus
word: Mexican potato
word: mouse potato
taxonomic: Coleus rotundifolius
word: native potato
word: new potato
word: nonpotato
word: O'Brien potatoes
taxonomic: Oxalis tuberosa
word: oca potato
word: Okinawan purple potato
word: Okinawan sweet potato
word: one potato, two potato
word: pineapple potato
word: pomato
word: potater
taxonomic: Macrosiphum euphorbiae
word: potato aphid
word: potato apple bread
word: potato apple
word: potato-apple
word: Potato aucuba mosaic virus
word: potato badger
word: potato-ball
word: potato bean
taxonomic: Apios americana
word: potato-bean
word: potato beetle
word: potato-beetle
word: Potato black ringspot virus
word: potato blight
word: potato blood agar
word: potato-bogle
word: potato-box
word: potato bread
word: potato bug
word: potato-bug
word: potato bush
word: potato cake
word: potato-cake
word: potato cannon
word: potato chaser
word: potato chip
word: potato chip of the sea
word: potato chips
word: potato clay
word: potato cod
word: potato creeper
word: potato crisp
word: potato crisps
word: potato curl
word: potato cyst
taxonomic: Globodera spp.
word: potato cyst nematode
word: Potato deforming mosaic virus
word: potato dextrose agar
word: potato dextrose broth
word: potato digger
word: potato dumpling
word: potatoe
word: potato-eater
word: potato eater
word: potato eelworm
taxonomic: Globodera rostochiensis
word: potato eel
word: potatoes and point
word: potatoey
word: potato-eye
word: potato failure
word: potato family
word: potato famine
word: potato farls
word: potato fern
word: potato finger
word: potato flake
word: potato flour
word: potato fly
taxonomic: Epicauta vittata
word: potato-fly
word: potato fork
taxonomic: Phytophthora infestans
word: potato fungus
word: potato grant
word: potato gun
word: potato-headed
word: potato head
word: potato-head
word: potato hook
word: potato in its jacket
word: potato-jaw
word: potato kugel
word: potato late blight
word: Potato latent virus
word: potato latke
taxonomic: Empoasca fabae
word: potato leafhopper
word: Potato leafroll virus
word: potato lectin
word: potatoless
word: potatolike
word: potato-loaf
word: potato masher
word: potato-masher
taxonomic: Phytophthora infestans
word: potato mildew
word: potato-mill
word: potato mold
word: potato mould
word: Potato mop-top virus
word: potato mosaic
alt: Stoeberhinus testaceus
word: potato moth
word: potato-mouth
word: potato-mouthed
word: potato murrain
word: potatoness
word: potato nigger
word: potato nose
word: potato-nose
word: potato nuggets
word: potato oat
word: potato of Canada
word: potato oil
word: potato onion
word: potato opening
word: potato pancake
word: potato paradox
word: potato patch
word: potato peel
word: potato peeler
word: potato-peeler
word: potato peelings
word: potato pen
word: potato-phile
word: potatophile
word: potato pie
word: potato pit
word: potato plant
word: potato pretender
taxonomic: Bactericera cockerelli
word: potato psyllid
word: potato pudding
word: potato puff
word: potato-quality
word: potato queen
word: potato race
word: potato radius
word: potato ricer
word: potato ring
word: potato-ring
word: potato-root
taxonomic: Globodera spp.
word: potato root nematode
word: potato rot
taxonomic: Ditylenchus destructor
word: potato rot nematode
word: potato rugose mosaic
word: potato salad]]
word: potato scab
word: potato scab bacteria
word: potato scallop
word: potato scone
word: potato-scoop
word: potato set
word: potato-shop
word: potato-sick
word: potato skin
word: potato skins
word: Potato spindle tuber viroid
word: potato spinner
word: potato spirit
word: potato-spirit
taxonomic: Phthorimaea operculella
word: potato split-worm
word: potato-spraying
word: potato-stalk borer
alt: Trichobaris trinotata
word: potato-stalk weevil
word: potato starch
word: potato stem mottle
word: potato stick
word: potato straw
word: potato sugar
word: potato thrips
word: potato trap
word: potato-trap
word: potato tree
word: potato-tree
taxonomic: Phthorimaea operculella
word: potato tuber moth
taxonomic: Ditylenchus destructor
word: potato tuber nematode
taxonomic: Ditylenchus destructor
word: potato tuberworm
word: potato tumor
word: potato tumour
taxonomic: Solanum laxum
word: potato vine
word: Potato virus A
word: Potato virus M
word: Potato virus S
word: Potato virus T
word: Potato virus U
word: Potato virus V
word: Potato virus X
word: Potato virus Y
word: potato virus X
word: potato wart
taxonomic: Synchytrium endobioticum
word: potato wart fungus
word: potato wedge
word: potato wedges
word: potato whisky
word: potato-woman
taxonomic: Manduca quinquemaculata
word: potato worm
word: potato-y
taxonomic: Dioscorea bulbifera
word: potato yam
word: potato yellow dwarf
word: Potato yellow dwarf nucleorhabdovirus
word: Potato yellowing virus
word: Potato yellow mosaic virus
word: Potato yellow vein virus
word: potayto, potahto
word: potomato
taxonomic: Psoralea esculenta
word: prairie potato
word: prepotato
taxonomic: Apios priceana
word: Price's potato-bean
taxonomic: Solanum triflorum
word: prickly potato
word: purple Peruvian potato
word: purple potato
word: red potato
word: red round potato
word: red-skinned potato
word: russet potato
word: Russian blue potato
word: salt potatoes
word: sautéed potato
word: scalloped potatoes
taxonomic: Echinocardium cordatum
word: sea potato
taxonomic: Ipomoea pes-caprae
word: seaside potato
word: seed potato
word: you later, baked potato
word: shoestring potatoes
word: small potatoes
word: small potatoes and a few in a hill
word: small potatoes and a few in the hill
word: smashed potato
word: smashed potatoes
word: Spanish potato
word: starchy potato
taxonomic: Sagittaria spp.
word: swamp potato
word: sweet potato
word: tater
word: Telinga potatomtelingo potato
taxonomic: Leptinotarsa decemlineata
word: ten-lined potato beetle
word: tomtato
word: tornado potato
word: tropical sweet potato
word: Vivaldi potato
word: volcano potato
word: waxy potato
word: white-fleshed sweet potato
word: white potato
word: white potato vine
word: white round potato
word: white sweet potato
word: Wild potato mosaic virus
taxonomic: Peltandra virginica
word: wild potato
word: yellow dwarf of potato
word: yellow potato
word: Zulu potato
word: Zulu round potato