eggplant

American  

[eg-plant, -plahnt] / ˈɛgˌplænt, -ˌplɑnt /

noun

1. a plant, Solanum melongena esculentum, of the nightshade family, cultivated for its edible, dark-purple or occasionally white or yellow fruit.

2. the fruit of this plant used as a table vegetable.

3. a blackish purple color; aubergine.

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eggplant British  

/ ˈɛɡˌplɑːnt /

noun

1. a tropical Old World solanaceous plant, Solanum melongena, widely cultivated for its egg-shaped typically dark purple fruit

2. the fruit of this plant, which is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

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Etymology

Origin of eggplant

First recorded in 1760–70; egg ¹ + plant

Compare meaning

How does eggplant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• aubergine vs. eggplant

Example Sentences

My mother rides our donkey, and my brothers, Isaac and Jacob, carry our provisions—bread and cheese, eggplant empanadillas, roasted eggs, olives cured in salt, dried figs, almonds, and walnuts—and our few belongings.

From Literature

I’d done my best with Mr. O’Malley and his vegetables, but all I could scavenge from his wooden bins were a few wilted eggplants.

From Literature

The garden Chong had helped George plant after his father’s death — bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries and eggplants — was repeatedly destroyed.

From Los Angeles Times

Always wanting something new, we tried chanakhi, a hearty stew with eggplant, potatoes, peppers, and lamb.

From Salon

Somewhere between the eggplants and the onions, she disappeared behind a door and emerged with a perfect ruby orb.

From Salon