tomato - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
tomato Word Meanings
- A red or yellowish round fruit with a juicy pulp.
- A plant that bears tomatoes, often used in cooking.
- A common ingredient in salads and sauces.
tomato Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
tomato Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/təˈmɑː.təʊ/
US
/təˈmeɪ.toʊ/
tomato Word Etymology
Root: tomatl = 'the swelling fruit'. Historical origin: Nahuatl → Spanish → English. Memory image: Picture a juicy red fruit growing on a vine in a garden, ripe and ready to be picked.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I pick up a tomato and move it in my hand, turning it slowly to check the skin. I adjust my grip and set it on the cutting board, feeling the weight shift as I press. The bright red color and the promise of juice make me imagine salads and sauce as I think about how I will use it.
Real Context
Tomato is a versatile fruit that plays a starring role in cuisines around the world. Botanically a fruit, it is commonly treated as a vegetable in everyday cooking, appearing in salads, sauces, soups, and sandwiches. The word traces back to Nahuatl tomatl, then to Spanish tomate, and finally into English via early borrowings, a reminder that language travels with taste. When describing a tomato, you can mention its color (red, yellow), size (cherry, plum, beefsteak), and ripeness (ripe, unripe, overripe). A memory image helps: a sunlit garden vine heavy with glossy fruit, ready to pick and savor in any dish.
Usage Reminders
- Use 'a tomato' or 'tomatoes' (not 'a tomatos').
- Common collocations: tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato salad, tomato paste.
- Describe ripeness: ripe, unripe, overripe.
- Note color and variety: red, yellow, cherry, beefsteak.
- Remember: botanically a fruit, but culinarily treated as a vegetable.
Common Misconceptions
- Tomato is always a vegetable (botanically a fruit).
- All tomatoes are red.
- Tomatoes are poisonous when raw.
- Tomatoes grow underground.
- Tomato and potato are the same thing.
Thinking Differences
Tomato is treated as both a fruit and a vegetable, so learners must separate botanical categories from culinary usage; avoid assuming all recipes imply the same classification.
Learning Tips
- Learn common collocations: tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato salad, tomato paste.
- Practice plural form: tomatoes (not tomatos).
- Memorize the two pronunciations: /təˈmeɪtoʊ/ and /təˈmeɪtō/.
- Describe tomatoes by color, size, and ripeness.
- Use memory images: a vine with glossy red fruit ready to pick.
- Link etymology to taste to remember the word.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'tomato'?
A.A color
B.A fruit
C.A type of bread
D.A type of fish
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is 'tomato' used correctly?
A.She put tomato in her cereal.
B.I saw a giant tomato flying in the sky.
C.The tomato sky looked beautiful.
D.He grew tomatoes in his garden.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is similar to 'tomato'?
A.Apple
B.Carrot
C.Potato
D.Cucumber
Step 4: Opposite Words
Which word is the opposite of 'tomato'?
A.Pineapple
B.Strawberry
C.Banana
D.Broccoli
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would you most likely find a tomato?
A.In a car workshop
B.In a library
C.In a grocery store
D.In a movie theater
Related Listening
🔥 Advanced
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