eggplant

[eg-plant, -plahnt]

See more synonyms for eggplant on Thesaurus.com

noun

a plant, Solanum melongena esculentum, of the nightshade family, cultivated for its edible, dark-purple or occasionally white or yellow fruit.
the fruit of this plant used as a table vegetable.
a blackish purple color; aubergine.

Origin of eggplant

First recorded in 1760–70; egg¹ + plant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for eggplant

Contemporary Examples

Tomatoes are nightshades, a plant family whose other members include tobacco, potatoes, pimentos, peppers, eggplant and paprika.
Pizza Might Be Your Enemy
Daniela Drake
March 9, 2014
The sweet potato fries (actually roasted) and eggplant pizza were perfectly prepared.
Michelle Obama’s Charm Offensive
Margaret Carlson
February 5, 2012
Then add the zucchini, peppers, eggplant, and chilies and cook, stirring for a further 10 minutes.
We Are Off to the Races!!
Lydia Brownlow
June 7, 2011
The book is worth reading for the chapter titles alone: "Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant," "Repulsive Dinners: A Memoir."
Classic Food Memoirs
Tien Nguyen
March 1, 2011
Use the back of the spoon to press the eggplant flesh against the side of the colander to remove excess water.
Into the Heart of Turkey
Sophie Menin
September 28, 2010

Historical Examples

When an eggplant is prepared in this way, it will appear as in Fig. 16.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Eggplant is sometimes eaten at dinner, but generally at breakfast.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie
A half pound of meat is enough to nicely stuff one eggplant.
The Khaki Kook Book
Mary Kennedy Core
Stuff the eggplant shell with this mixture, cover the top with crumbs, and bake.
The Khaki Kook Book
Mary Kennedy Core
If tomatoes are not used, acidulate a combination of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.
The Khaki Kook Book
Mary Kennedy Core

British Dictionary definitions for eggplant

eggplant

noun

a tropical Old World solanaceous plant, Solanum melongena, widely cultivated for its egg-shaped typically dark purple fruit
the fruit of this plant, which is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

Also called: aubergine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for eggplant

n.

1767, from egg (n.) + plant (n.). Originally of the white variety. Cf. aubergine.

eggplant

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}eggplant

Examples from the Web for eggplant

Contemporary Examples

Tomatoes are nightshades, a plant family whose other members include tobacco, potatoes, pimentos, peppers, eggplant and paprika.

The sweet potato fries (actually roasted) and eggplant pizza were perfectly prepared.

Then add the zucchini, peppers, eggplant, and chilies and cook, stirring for a further 10 minutes.

The book is worth reading for the chapter titles alone: "Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant," "Repulsive Dinners: A Memoir."

Use the back of the spoon to press the eggplant flesh against the side of the colander to remove excess water.

Historical Examples

When an eggplant is prepared in this way, it will appear as in Fig. 16.

Eggplant is sometimes eaten at dinner, but generally at breakfast.

A half pound of meat is enough to nicely stuff one eggplant.

Stuff the eggplant shell with this mixture, cover the top with crumbs, and bake.

If tomatoes are not used, acidulate a combination of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.

eggplant

Word Origin and History for eggplant

n.

Origin of eggplant