tater

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the phrase "tater" is correct and usable in written English, though it is informal.
You can use it in casual contexts, often as a playful or affectionate term for "potato" or in reference to dishes made with potatoes. Example: "I love making loaded tater skins for parties; they're always a hit!"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Food

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

My desert-island dish Slow-cooked, smoked BBQ beef brisket with bread, pickles, spicy coleslaw and a great thing called tater tots: they're little balls of spicy mash potato deep-fried and sprinkled with Parmesan crumb.

Independent

The wallet-lightening sides and vegetables are mostly uninspired, including pasty blue-cheese tater tots.

The New Yorker

The gnocchi are pan-fried to a deep brown, evoking tater tots — at twenty dollars, you're better off going next door to Crif Dogs for the real thing, at a fifth of the price.

The New Yorker

The tater tot is from P. J. Clarke's, and it's definitely an outlier.

The New Yorker

And potato croquettes — buttery, upscale tater tots — redeemed a bland veal medaglione.

The New Yorker

"So I made comfort food, my take on a tater tot — Cabot Cheddar coated in skillet-bacon spread and rolled in crushed potato chips".

The New Yorker

But a handful of specialties make the cut every night: tender scallops with crisp duck-tongue meatballs no bigger than marbles; pork belly with "tater tots" made of taro; savory rice noodles and hake with the drag-queen-like moniker Cha Ca La Wong.

The New Yorker

We say, 'Why are kids eating tater tots?

The New Yorker

In the most pure sense, a tater tot is not a French fry.

The New Yorker

Roasted (and fried) baby artichokes, drizzled with olive oil and anchovy paste, conjured Vieux Nice; fried gnocchi summoned up good ol' Tater Tots.

The New Yorker

Bacon bits liven up regulation tater tots topped with mustard and pea purée, and apple-ginger ice turns Wellfleet oysters into ice pops: crunchy, creamy, tart, sweet.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about baseball, consider using "tater" to add a colloquial flavor to your description of a home run.

Common error

Avoid using "tater" in formal writing or professional communications. Opt for more neutral terms like "potato" or "home run" depending on the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tater" is as a noun. It refers to a potato or, informally, a home run in baseball. Ludwig's examples show it used in diverse contexts, from school lunches to baseball commentary.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Food

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "tater" is an informal noun referring to a potato or, in baseball slang, a home run. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct but primarily used in informal contexts. It appears frequently in News & Media, often regarding food or sports reporting. The best practice is to use "tater" judiciously, considering the audience and the formality of the writing. Alternatives include "potato" and "home run" for more formal situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

potato

A general term for the starchy vegetable, replacing the informal "tater".

spud

Another informal term for potato, similar in register to "tater".

home run

Refers to the baseball context, where "tater" is slang for a home run.

four-bagger

A baseball slang term equivalent to a home run, similar to "tater" in that context.

long ball

Another baseball slang term for a home run, focusing on the distance.

tater tot

Refers to the specific potato product made from grated potatoes.

root vegetable

A broader category that includes potatoes and other similar vegetables.

Murphy

Another synonym to potato in some local dialects.

mashed potato

A dish made of potatoes that have been boiled, mashed and usually mixed with milk, butter and salt.

white potato

A standard synonym of potato without additional context.

FAQs

What does "tater" mean?

"Tater" is an informal term for "potato" or, in baseball slang, a "home run".

When is it appropriate to use "tater"?

Use "tater" in casual conversations, informal writing, or when referring to "tater tots". It can also be used in sports writing, particularly baseball, for a home run.

What can I say instead of "tater" when referring to a potato?

You can use "potato" or "spud" depending on the context.

Is "tater" a formal word?

No, "tater" is an informal term and should be avoided in formal or professional writing. Use "potato" instead.