Write the plural form of the word tomato

If you are eating Italian, Spanish, or South American food, there is a high probability that your dish will contain the delicious red food that goes by the name tomato.

The tomato is often thought to be a vegetable, but it is technically the fruit of the tomato plant. Tomatoes are delicious and contain many essential nutrients for human health.

But what should we call more than one tomato? Are these fruits tomatoes or tomatos?

Pluralization can be complicated in English, but there is an easy way to remember how to spell this word. Continue reading to learn more.

What is the Plural of Tomato?

In this article, I will compare tomatos vs. tomatoes. Which of these is the correct plural spelling?

I will outline the correct plural form of tomato, and I will show you a helpful memory tool that will allow you to choose between tomatoes and tomatos with only minimal stress.

When to Use Tomatoes

How do you spell tomato? The singular spelling of tomato doesn’t contain the letter “E,” so it is somewhat understandable that people would get confused when the plural does.

• The correct plural spelling is tomatoes.
• Tomatos is a common misspelling.

Tomatoes, its plural form, means more than one tomato.

A tomato is a red, fleshy fruit that ripens in the summer are native to South America. The Spanish brought them back to Europe after colonizing the New World, and they are now an important part of regional cuisines across the globe.

Tomatoes are green before they ripen, and some of them turn yellow or orange instead of red. When ripe and fresh, they have an acidic, sweet flavor.

These sentences are examples of tomatoes in context,

• Tommy went into the garden and picked a few fresh tomatoes for dinner.
• Dad was annoyed because all of his tomatoes were being eaten by small caterpillars.
• Thousands of people pelted each other with ripe tomatoes Wednesday, creating a red, mushy mess in the annual Tomatina street battle in Buñol, a town in eastern Spain. –The Washington Post

The original Nahuatl word is tomatl. The Spanish adapted this word into tomate, and English speakers changed it once again to tomato.

When to Use Tomatos

There could arguably be more than one way to pronounce the word tomatoes, but there is only one way to spell it. Tomatos is an incorrect pluralization of tomato.

Some English words that end in O form plurals by adding -s, like volcanos and zoos. Other words, like potato and tomato, form plurals with -es, making potatoes and tomatoes, respectively.

The chart below, which graphs tomatoes vs. tomato over time, shows that virtually no one uses tomatos in printed English.

In other words, avoid tomatos at all costs.

Trick to Remember the Difference

When pluralizing tomato, tomatoes is always the correct word.

There is no easy rule for remembering which words that end in O take -s or -es in the plural. Luckily, however, there is a trick to remembering that tomato is one of the -es words: it rhymes with potato, which also becomes potatoes as a plural. These rhyming words can be your clue as to the correct spelling of tomatoes.

Summary

Is it tomatos or tomatoes? A tomato is a red, fleshy fruit that grows on a vine.

• The plural of tomato is tomatoes.
• Tomatos is an incorrect pluralization.

What Is the Definition of Tomato?

The noun tomato is defined as:

• The usually large, rounded, edible, pulpy berry of an herb (genus Solanum) of the nightshade family native to South America that is typically red but may be yellow, orange, green, or purplish in color and is eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable
  • A plant that produces tomatoes
    • Especially: any of various varieties of a tender perennial (Solanum lycopersicumsynonym Lycopersicon esculentum) widely cultivated as an annual

The tomato is typically thought of for its bright red color and is used in culinary dishes all over the world. It has been thrown into the vegetable category but this plant is actually a fruit. They have tons of health benefits, are high in vitamins C, K, Potassium, and folate, and are a good source of antioxidants. The plant is made up of four main compounds which are lycopene, beta carotene, naringenin, and chlorogenic acid. Lycopene is an antioxidant that has been studied thoroughly for its health benefits. Beta Carotene is an antioxidant that gives fruits and veggies their yellow or orange colors and is used as vitamin A in your body. Naringenin, found in the tomato skin, is a flavonoid used to decrease inflammation and protect against various diseases. Chlorogenic acid is another powerful antioxidant compound that has been found to help lower elevated blood pressure. To get these awesome nutrients, try adding tomato to your omelets, sandwiches, salads, or pasta dishes. They can literally be eaten at every meal of the day. 

What Is the Plural Form of Tomato?

The plural form of tomato is tomatoes — similar to how the plural form of potato is potatoes. Here are some examples of it used in sentences.

• Spoon some tripe, porcini mushrooms and tomatoes into each and set aside, keeping warm.
• Grilled calamari are skewered like shish kebabs, with densely flavorful cherry tomatoes.
• The short supply of tomatoes means prices are higher, too, which means there’s less demand.

The History and Origin of the Word

It is likely this word was around long before there was a record of it. The Aztecs used the word tomato meaning “swelling fruit.” It was introduced to Europe from the New World (including the present-day United States) and the Italians were eating them in the 1500s but the English grew them ornately until the 1800s when they decided to eat them as well. 

Synonyms of Tomato

• Fruit- a product of plant growth (such as grain, vegetables, or cotton) used in things like ketchup, tomato paste, and tomato sauce
  • the fresh tomatoes from the field
  • the usually edible reproductive body of a seed plant like a ripe tomato
  • a product of fertilization (see FERTILIZATION sense b) in a plant with its modified envelopes or appendages
  • OFFSPRING, PROGENY
  • the fruit of the womb
  • the state of bearing fruit 
  • the fruits of our labor

–   Lycopersicon esculentum- native to South America; widely cultivated in many varieties, a tomato, or tomato plant

– Vegetable- a usually herbaceous plant (such as the cabbage, bean, or potato) grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal also: such an edible part

–   PLANT sense 1b

– A person having a dull or merely physical existence 

Examples of the Word in Context

• Continuing the pimento theme, chef Stu Plush of The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Co. is making the most of the fresh corn and tomatoes from this time of year with pimento cheese and corn fritters with a spicy tomato bacon jam and pickled okra.

 Dana Mcmahan, The Courier-Journal, “A Kentucky Derby like no other. Here are some fall-inspired twists on classic Derby dishes,” 1 Sep. 2020 

• And a new type of thick-skinned tomatoes had to be bred in order for the fruit to survive the rigors of a mechanical tomato harvester.

 Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, “It’s time to make Jackie Robinson proud,” 29 Aug. 2020 

• The tomato slice has a cool, snappy bite, a happy contrast to the crunchy, piping-hot coating.

 Rick Nelson, Star Tribune, “Here’s how critic Rick Nelson will get a fill of his State Fair favorites this year,” 27 Aug. 2020 

• To mark six feet of social distancing, Anthony Sagos, owner of Da Nonna Rosa, who serves 180 slices per day typically, spaced tomato cans on the sidewalk in front of his shop.

 Kevin Armstrong, Washington Post, “The pandemic has forced New York pizza shop owners to rethink the signature slice — and just about everything,” 27 Aug. 2020 

• Add onion, tomato, cucumber, avocado, celery and cilantro.

 Judy Walker, NOLA.com, “Judy Walker’s Roux Believer: Tasty sauces showcase fresh Gulf shrimp for easy summer dishes,” 26 Aug. 2020 

• Squeeze in each tomato individually into the pot and include all the sauce in the can.

Alex Darus, cleveland, “7 ways to easily amp up your weeknight dinners,” 25 Aug. 2020 

• Along with a Wednesday steak night ($25 per person), BCK is offering a trio of chicken, beef or pork tacos with red tomato rice and refried beans on Tuesdays ($8).

 Marcy De Luna, Houston Chronicle, “BCK restaurant reopens with mini donuts, boozy milkshakes,” 20 Aug. 2020 

• Saving tomato seeds is easy but has a few more steps.

 Jodi Bay, San Diego Union-Tribune, “Garden Mastery: How to save seeds to re-create next season’s vegetables,” 17 Aug. 2020

Summary

The English language can be a tricky thing since it is a compilation of many other languages. Finding the correct plural nouns of English words is an important step to becoming well educated and avoid common misspellings and typos. Now you are an expert on all things regarding how to spell tomato. 

Sources:

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomato
2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/tomatoes#side-effects
3. https://www.etymonline.com/word/tomato
4. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/events/kentucky-derby/2020/08/31/kentucky-derby-2020-fall-twists-on-classic-derby-recipes/5642504002/
5. https://fortune.com/2020/08/28/its-time-to-make-jackie-robinson-proud/
6. https://www.startribune.com/here-s-how-critic-rick-nelson-will-get-a-fill-of-his-state-fair-favorites-this-year/572132932/
7. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/08/27/the-pandemic-has-forced-new-york-pizza-shop-owners-to-rethink-the-signature-slice-and-just-about-everything/
8. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/eat-drink/article_f921ffe4-e245-11ea-888f-73919d10859b.html
9. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/eat-drink/article_f921ffe4-e245-11ea-888f-73919d10859b.html
10. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/08/7-ways-to-easily-amp-up-your-weeknight-dinners.html
11. https://www.chron.com/entertainment/restaurants-bars/article/BCK-restaurant-reopens-with-mini-donuts-boozy-15498434.php
12. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/home-and-garden/story/2020-08-17/garden-mastery-how-to-save-seeds-to-re-create-next-seasons-vegetables

Write the plurals.
1. child _
2. tomato _
3. brush _
4. foot _
5. lady _
6. toy _
7. fox _
8. leaf _
9. tooth _
10. cap _