noun
eggplant
EHG-plant
noun
1
A vegetable with smooth, glossy purple (or sometimes white) skin, also called an aubergine.
"She sliced the eggplant thin and grilled it with olive oil."
"This curry recipe calls for two large eggplants."
2
A deep purple color, similar to the skin of the vegetable.
"She painted the bedroom walls a rich eggplant shade."
How to Use Eggplant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the purple vegetable (aubergine) or the dark purple color named after it.
UK vs US
American English says "eggplant"; British English almost always says "aubergine" instead.
Common pairings
grilled eggplant
eggplant parmesan
eggplant purple
Word Forms
eggplants plural
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Etymology
From egg + plant — early Western varieties were small, white, and egg-shaped, which gave the vegetable its name even though most eggplants today are purple.