Reading Theme:
Potato: Meanings, Examples, and Common Uses (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：edible tuber (potato)
potato
/pəˈteɪtoʊ/
n.
a round vegetable with brown, yellow, or red skin that grows underground and is used for cooking.
edible tuber
➕
/ˈɛdɪbəl ˈtuːbər/
n.
A potato is a starchy, tuberous crop that is one of the most widely consumed vegetables in the world, typically cooked in various ways such as boiling, baking, frying, or mashing.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Spanish 'patata', blend of Taíno 'batata' (sweet potato) and Quechua 'papa' (potato).
💡 Mnemonic
Imagine a 'pot' full of 'toes' (like 'tater') - potatoes are underground 'toes' of the plant.
📖 Example
For dinner tonight, I'm going to peel some potatoes and boil them to make mashed potatoes.
For dinner tonight, I'm going to peel some potatoes and boil them to make mashed potatoes.
🔗 Collocations
baked potato – a potato that has been cooked in an oven with its skin on
mashed potatoes – potatoes that have been boiled and crushed into a creamy mixture
potato chips – thin slices of potato that are fried or baked until crispy
🔄 Synonyms
🌱 Derivatives
potatolike (adj.) – resembling or characteristic of a potato
potatoey (adj.) – having a taste or texture reminiscent of potato
📖 Cultural Story
Originating in the Andes, the potato was domesticated over 7,000 years ago. Spanish explorers brought it to Europe in the 16th century, where it transformed agriculture and cuisines.
Meaning 2：a sedentary person (potato)
potato
/pəˈteɪtoʊ/
n.
a person who spends too much time sitting and watching television, with little physical activity.
a sedentary person
➕
/ə ˈsɛdəntɛri ˈpɜrsən/
n.
A person who spends a lot of time sitting on a couch watching television, often associated with a lack of physical activity and an unhealthy lifestyle.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
After finishing his exams, Tom turned into a total couch potato, binge-watching shows all weekend.
After finishing his exams, Tom turned into a total couch potato, binge-watching shows all weekend.
🔗 Collocations
be a couch potato – to spend a lot of time sitting and watching television
turn into a couch potato – to become a person who watches too much TV
couch potato lifestyle – a way of living that involves minimal physical activity and excessive TV watching
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
athlete (n.) – a person who is proficient in sports and physical exercise
fitness enthusiast (n.) – a person who is very active in maintaining physical health
active person (n.) – a person who engages in a lot of physical activity
🌱 Derivatives
couch-potato (adj.) – relating to a sedentary TV-watching lifestyle
Wordbook
Your data is saved in this browser