# tubers

/ˈtubɝs/ (US) · /tjˈuːbəz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tubers
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

thick underground parts of a plant that store food and energy, like potatoes and yams. You can plant them to grow new plants.

For teachers: swollen underground plant structures that store starch and nutrients and can grow into new plants. Typically develop from stems or roots, as in potatoes, yams, and dahlias.

## Examples

- Farmers dig up tubers like potatoes in autumn.
- She stores tubers in a cool dark cellar so the potatoes last through winter.
- After the first frost, the gardeners lifted the dahlia tubers and wrapped them in paper to protect the dormant buds until spring planting.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.