1. Egg-shaped vegetable having a shiny skin typically dark purple but occasionally white or yellow
   "The chef prepared a classic eggplant parmesan";
   - aubergine [UK], mad apple
    
2. Hairy upright herb native to southeastern Asia but widely cultivated for its large glossy edible fruit commonly used as a vegetable
   "Brinjal is another name for eggplant or aubergine";
   - aubergine [UK], brinjal [S.Africa, Asia], eggplant bush [N. Amer, Austral, NZ], garden egg [N. Amer], mad apple, Solanum melongena

Derived forms: eggplants

Type of: herb, herbaceous plant, solanaceous vegetable

Part of: genus Solanum, Solanum

Encyclopedia: Eggplant, Robert