■ noun ( plural ~es )
1》 a starchy plant tuber which is one of the most important food crops, cooked and eaten as a vegetable.
2》 the plant of the nightshade family which produces ~es on underground runners. [ Solanum tuberosum .]
Origin
C16 (orig. denoting the sweet ~): from Sp. patata , var. of Taino batata 'sweet ~'.