1. A widely cultivated plant that produces tomatoes as fruit, native to South America
   "The tomato plants were heavy with ripe fruit";
   - love apple, tomato plant, Lycopersicon esculentum
    
2. A rounded fruit, usually red when ripe, that is eaten as a vegetable or in salads
   "She sliced ripe tomatoes for the burger toppings"; "The chef prepared a fresh tomato sauce for the pasta"

Derived forms: tomatoes

Type of: herb, herbaceous plant, solanaceous vegetable

Encyclopedia: Tomato, Girl Detective