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.

---

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

---

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

At the beginning of the summer, I started roasting trays of vegetables — squash, eggplant, red onions, bell peppers — with nothing more than olive oil, salt and pepper.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

The maki rolls are flavorful, the crudo bright and refreshing, and there are plenty of vegetable-forward dishes as well, like tempura eggplant and kombu carrots.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

For about $20, you could enjoy a baked Idaho potato heaped with teriyaki beef at the taxidermy-adorned Pioneer Saloon; or green curry chicken and Taiwanese-style eggplant at Rickshaw.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

There was always a steady supply of bitter melon, eggplant, gai lan and bok choy.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

In the produce market, short bananas dangled above glossy eggplant and bumpy avocados.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn