eggplant

noun egg·plant \ ˈeg-ˌplant , ˈāg- \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of eggplant

1 a : a widely cultivated perennial Asian herb (Solanum melongena) of the nightshade family yielding edible fruit

b : the usually smooth ovoid typically blackish-purple or white fruit of the eggplant

2 : a dark grayish or blackish purple

See eggplant defined for English-language learners

See eggplant defined for kids

Recent Examples of eggplant from the Web

Recent Monday specials have included chicken piccata, spaghetti, chicken cacciatore and a lasagna-eggplant Parmesan combo.

— bud kennedy, star-telegram, "Arlington, here's your newest burger. It comes with 'bourbon bacon' | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 3 Apr. 2018
The new urban farm will grow vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and squash in the summer, plus leafy greens and root vegetables in the winter.

— sarah meehan, baltimoresun.com, "Sandlot's new neighbor in Harbor Point will be an urban farm," 3 Apr. 2018
An Italian man has been acquitted of stealing an eggplant in a case that has rumbled on for nine years and cost thousands of dollars of public money.

— jane onyanga-omara, USA TODAY, "Italian court acquits man of stealing eggplant after 9-year legal battle," 29 Mar. 2018
Many edible plants are ornamental themselves, such as peppers, eggplants, fennel, dill, cardoon and kale.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Cottage gardens can include edibles as well as ornamentals | Idaho Statesman," 21 Mar. 2018
The company spent years figuring out how to achieve the ideal ripeness of bananas for its picky customers and devised exacting quality specifications for produce, including eight varieties of eggplant, and trained the sourcing team to meet them.

— Bloomberg.com, "How Dotcom Survivors Built a $950 Million Startup in India," 19 Mar. 2018
Mirza Ghasemi is a dip of smoky grilled eggplant mixed with a tart, flavorful tomato sauce.

— henri hollis, AJC.com, "Rediscover the humble (or is it mighty?) eggplant at this local restaurant," 6 Mar. 2018
Melted mozzerlla tops crispy fried eggplant alongside tomato sauce.

— liz biro, Indianapolis Star, "This Italian restaurant serves free appetizers in Indianapolis," 14 Feb. 2018
Begin seeding tender plants such as eggplants and sweet peppers indoors using bottom heat.

— idahostatesman, "A gardening to do list for March and April | Idaho Statesman," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eggplant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of eggplant

1767

EGGPLANT Defined for Kids

eggplant

noun egg·plant \ ˈeg-ˌplant , ˈāg- \

Definition of eggplant for Students

: an oval vegetable with a usually glossy purplish skin and white flesh

Learn More about eggplant

See words that rhyme with eggplant Spanish Central: Translation of eggplant Nglish: Translation of eggplant for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of eggplant for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about eggplant

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eggplant

Definition of eggplant

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First Known Use of eggplant

EGGPLANT Defined for Kids

eggplant

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