Word
eggplant
Phoneticsegg·plant, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɛɡˌpɫænt/
UK/ˈɛɡplænt/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a large vegetable with smooth, dark purple skin and white flesh inside. In British English, people call this an aubergine.
n. the edible, usually purple, fruit of the plant Solanum melongena, widely used as a vegetable in cooking. Often used as a slang icon in digital communication to represent male anatomy.
Examples
“I am cooking sliced eggplant with olive oil and garlic.”
“The chef prepared a traditional moussaka by layering fried eggplant with seasoned meat and a creamy sauce.”
“While the deep purple variety is most common in Western supermarkets, different cultivars of eggplant range in shape from small spheres to long, thin cylinders and in color from white to green.”
Examples
simple
“I am cooking sliced eggplant with olive oil and garlic.”
contextual
“The chef prepared a traditional moussaka by layering fried eggplant with seasoned meat and a creamy sauce.”
complex
“While the deep purple variety is most common in Western supermarkets, different cultivars of eggplant range in shape from small spheres to long, thin cylinders and in color from white to green.”
Usage
Countable when referring to the whole fruit or the plant; uncountable when referring to it as a food substance.
Etymology
From egg + plant, originally applied only to the white-colored, egg-shaped variety.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/eggplant