top definitions
quizzes
related content
examples
explore dictionary
british

tomato

[ tuh-mey-toh, -mah- ]

/ təˈmeɪ toʊ, -ˈmɑ- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tomato ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural to·ma·toes.

any of several plants belonging to the genus Lycopersicon, of the nightshade family, native to Mexico and Central and South America, especially the widely cultivated species L. lycopersicum, bearing a mildly acid, pulpy, usually red fruit eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable.

the fruit itself.

Older Slang: Sometimes Offensive. a girl or woman.

VIDEO FOR TOMATO

WATCH NOW: Hot dogs, Coleslaw, And Other Debates About Food

We all love food, but that doesn't mean we all agree on what certain foods should be called. There are some serious food debates that spark intense reactions. Watch to see if you agree or disagree with these food classifications.

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM

QUIZZES

WHO SAID IT: A QUIZ ON PRESIDENTIAL WIT AND WISDOM

Think you know your presidents? Take this quiz and see if you can match the style, wit, and ideology of these memorable lines to the right POTUS.

Question 1 of 9

“I do believe that the buck stops here, that I cannot rely upon public opinion polls to tell me what is right. I do believe that right makes might and that if I am wrong, 10 angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”

John F. Kennedy

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of tomato

1595–1605; 1915–20 for def. 3; earlier tomate<Spanish <Nahuatl tomatl

Words nearby tomato

tomahawk, tomalley, toman, Tom and Jerry, tomatillo, tomato, tomato aspic, tomato fruitworm, tomato hornworm, tomb, Tomba

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for tomato

Though we disagree, Matt and Dana have brought me tomatoes from their garden and shopped for me as I’ve quarantined.
‘Hoax’ reveals ‘rot at core of our politics’|Kathi Wolfe|September 4, 2020|Washington Blade
Once a week you drive to the allotment on the edge of the city where you grow marigolds and petunias, tomatoes and broad beans.
The first murder|Katie McLean|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
He worked for the Tip-Top Canning Factory, which was founded by his great-grandfather, and the factory’s tomato farm.
How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War (Ep. 386 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|August 6, 2020|Freakonomics
Peter Timmer, you will recall, grew up working on the tomato farm and cannery founded by his great-grandfather.
How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War (Ep. 386 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|August 6, 2020|Freakonomics

De Moraes and her colleagues set up experiments with mustard and tomato plants.
Bumblebees may bite leaves to spur plant blooming|Susan Milius|July 2, 2020|Science News For Students
The tomato sauce is ‘gravy’ to many Italian-Americans of a certain class.
Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison|Daniel Genis|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sandwich is made with thick tiles of quality bread and adorned with lettuce and tomato.
Become a Fried Seafood Believer at South Beach Market|Jane & Michael Stern|April 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mongolians bravely swallow a glass of pickled sheep eyeballs mixed into tomato juice to chase away their morning-after blues.
The Wildest Hangover Cures From Around the World|Nina Strochlic|November 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Neighboring families war over who makes the best, most authentic, recipe for everything from tomato sauce to minestrone.
A Young Chef Travels to Calabria, Italy, and Learns the Old Ways of Cooking|Curtis Stone|November 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Tommy and I would leave just after the tomato harvest to travel around Italy.
A Young Chef Travels to Calabria, Italy, and Learns the Old Ways of Cooking|Curtis Stone|November 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Always serve either cream or tomato sauce with croquettes and cutlets and garnish them with parsley or cress.
Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book|Mary A. Wilson
Place on toast, cover with tomato sauce, and put a few leaves of fresh mint on top before serving.
The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book|Victor Hirtzler
Tomato preserves are highly relished by some; likewise tomato pies.
Birds and Nature, Vol. 12 No. 3 [August 1902]|Various
The tomato, by reason of its natural acidity, is readily sterilized and so can be preserved easily in glass or tin.
The Tomato|Paul Work
In one series, tomato and potato cuttings, which had flagged in the cutting bed, revived when grafted.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 795, March 28, 1891|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tomato

tomato

/ (təˈmɑːtəʊ) /

noun plural -toes

a solanaceous plant, Lycopersicon (or Lycopersicum) esculentum, of South America, widely cultivated for its red fleshy many-seeded edible fruits

the fruit of this plant, which has slightly acid-tasting flesh and is eaten in salads, as a vegetable, etc

US and Canadian slang a girl or woman

Word Origin for tomato

C17 tomate, from Spanish, from Nahuatl tomatl

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Get Spelling Help! Try Now!