tuberous

1 7.7

Having swollen underground roots or stems that store food

adjective
/ˈtjuːbərəs/

: tuberculado

We'll just put pots on the tennis court, with roses and tuberous begonias, and stick a good security fence around the lot.
tuberous sclerosis

Examples

Yams are tuberous vegetables, and the poles provide support for the heavy plant vines.

Academic text (1995)
Now, potatoes, they are what's called tuberous, and they form tubers.
Ant plants are diverse; they include pudgy, tuberous plants that cling to the branches of forest trees in Borneo and fast-growing umbrellas.

Academic text (1993)
Aunt Mamie D. took a pitcher of water out there and watered all Mama's ferns and the big tuberous begonia on the stand by the door.

Fiction book (1990)
Potatoes are tuberous roots that store energy underground.
Many tuberous vegetables, like yams, have swollen roots that help them survive in dry conditions.
I planted a variety of tuberous begonias in my garden, admired for their vibrant blooms.

Compounds

hybrid tuberous begonia

Specialized

8.9

A garden plant that grows from a thick underground stem and has large colorful flowers

tuberous plant

6.1

A plant that grows from a thick part under the ground, like a potato or dahlia

tuberous vetch

9.9

A European plant with small edible roots used for food and to flavor whiskey

tuberous begonia

8.2

A garden plant with thick underground roots and large bright flowers

How Tuberous

tuberous

1 7.7

semi-tuberous

Specialized

9.7

Surface Forms

tuberous positive

Morphology

tuberous = tuber (transparent) = tuber + ous

The adjective is a straightforward formation from the noun 'tuber' with the productive adjectival suffix '-ous' meaning 'having or resembling'.

Etymology

The word tuberous comes from the Latin word tuber, meaning 'swelling' or 'lump', and was used for plants with thick, food-storing parts underground like a potato. So a tuberous root or stem is one that is swollen to store nutrients.