noun
eye
A bud from which a new plant shoot grows.
A pale shoot grows from an eye on the potato.
Etymology
A small bud can resemble an eye on the surface of a plant. The body-part name was therefore applied to the growth point from which a shoot develops.
More examples
- Plant a piece of potato with at least one eye.
- The stored potatoes had sprouted several eyes.
- She cut around the eye before cooking.
Forms
eye · eyes
Similar words
- bud
- The general botanical term; eye is used for particular plants.
- sprout
- The developing shoot rather than the place it grows from.