Taters

In Appalachian and Southern speech, taters means potatoes - usually cooked up hearty, fried, mashed, stewed, or served alongside meat and beans.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #FoodandDrink #Southern #FarmTalk

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I grew up hearin’ 'taters' plenty - and it's still common down here. I have no own fancy recipe I've honed for years.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I grew up hearin’ 'taters' plenty - and it's still common down here. I have no own fancy recipe I've honed for years.

Pronunciation

[TAY-ters]
/ˈteɪ.tərz/

Meaning & Usage

- Potatoes (noun)

Elmer:

What’s fer supper?

Estel:

Meatloaf, green beans, and mashed taters.

- Sweet Potatoes (noun)

Elmer:

I seen ya bakin’ somethin’ orange in the oven.

Estel:

Sweet taters - don’t burn your tongue.

variations: potaters

★ If somebody hollers "pass the taters," hand over the potatoes - and the gravy if you’ve got good manners. ★

Origin and Etymology

A clipped, natural pronunciation of "potatoes" that appears in Appalachian English, Southern rural speech, and older English ballads. The form "taters" has been documented since at least the 1700s.

Usage Notes

"Taters" is nearly always plural and informal, and in most households it refers to white potatoes unless sweet taters are specified outright. You’ll hear it in kitchens, potlucks, and anywhere folks cook in cast iron.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Do "taters" always mean white potatoes?

Usually - unless someone says "sweet taters," which always means sweet potatoes.

Is "taters" considered slang?

Yes. It’s informal, dialectal, and rarely written except to reflect real Southern or Appalachian speech.

Where does "taters" come from?

It’s a long-standing dialect pronunciation of "potatoes," preserved in rural speech on both sides of the Atlantic.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 13). Taters. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/taters
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Taters." HillbillySlang.com, 13 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/taters.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Taters." HillbillySlang.com. November 13, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/taters.

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