I. tu·ber ˈt(y)übə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin, hump, knob, tumor, truffle, tuber; akin to Greek typhē plant used as stuffing for beds, cattail, Old Norse thūfa mound, Old English thūf tuft, crest, Latin tumēre to swell — more at thumb
1.
a. : a short thickened fleshy stem or terminal portion of a stem or rhizome that is usually formed underground, bears minute scale leaves each with a bud capable under suitable conditions of developing into a new plant, and constitutes the resting stage of various plants (as the potato or the Jerusalem artichoke) — compare bulb , corm , tuberous root
b. : a fleshy root, rhizome, or other plant structure resembling a tuber in appearance
a dahlia tuber
— not used technically
c. tubers plural : a tuberous crop ; specifically : a crop of potatoes
soon be time to harvest tubers
2.
[New Latin, from Latin]
: the type genus of Tuberaceae comprising fungi whose fruiting bodies are typical truffles
3. : an anatomical prominence : tuberosity , tubercle , protuberance
II. tub·er noun
( -s )
Etymology: tube (I) + -er
: one that makes or works with tubes: as
a. : a worker who installs or fits tubes or tubing (as in a boiler assembly)
b. : an operator of a machine who forms material (as rubber or plastic) into a continuous strip or tube ; also : such a machine
a tuber that coats wire with insulation
c. : copper IV
d. : a textile worker who rewinds cloth from large rolls into smaller rolls to inspect it and cut out imperfections — called also winder
e. : a worker who makes round belting from strips of leather