earthapple

plural earthapples · alternative earth-apple · alternative earth apple

1. A Jerusalem artichoke (the tuber of Helianthus tuberosus); the plant that produces it.

   Synonyms: ground pear, sunchoke, more at Jerusalem artichoke

2. rareA potato; the plant that produces it.

   He finished carefully arranging a plate of fresh prawns, earthapples, and kale he'd bought special for Captain Falcon in Bangalang.

   2009, Linda F. Selzer, Charles Johnson in Context

   4 more examples

   The most probable account I have been able to collect is, that a vessel of Sir Walter Raleigh's, returning from Guiana, put into the west of Ireland in distress, having on board some potatoes which they called earth-apples.

   1984, Thomas Jefferson, Merrill D. Peterson, Jefferson: Writings

   It was supper-time on board the Stormchaser, and the sky pirates were all seated round a longbench tucking into a meal of baked snowbird and earthapple mash.

   2009, Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell, Edge Chronicles: Stormchaser

   There were roots of some sort, also, baking like earthapples near the fire, and a basket of late berries, most of them bitter. I ate them anyway.

   2014, Nancy Springer, Madbond

   When the crickets begin to wail and the midnight Festers with wrinkles, and the dwayberries And earthapples in my wounds cluster and garrote The dewscented boughs of my surreal gaze, Then my dear, bless these tears and rise to me [...]

   2015, H.B. Dill, Supernal Andantes: A Book of Poetry

   Synonyms: groundapple, ground pear, more at potato

3. historicalThe fruit of the mandrake (Mandragora officinarum); the plant itself.
4. obsoleteAny of various tubers or the tuberous plants that produce them, especially sowbread (genus Cyclamen).