Meaning & use
eggplant
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountableAmerican
A large, glossy, dark purple vegetable with soft white flesh, cooked in dishes such as parmigiana and moussaka.
Grammar: Countable for the whole fruit (two eggplants), uncountable as food (some eggplant).
Patterns
- slice the eggplant
- roast eggplant
She sliced the eggplant and salted it to draw out the bitterness.
We grilled eggplant and peppers for dinner.
The farmer's market had huge eggplants this week.
noununcountable
A deep purple colour like the skin of this vegetable.
Grammar: Often used before another noun: an eggplant sweater.
The living room walls were painted a rich eggplant.
He wore an eggplant scarf with his gray coat.
Word forms
| plural | eggplants |
|---|
Common combinations
- roasted eggplant
- Roasted eggplant makes a smoky dip.
- eggplant parmesan
- Eggplant parmesan was the vegetarian option.
- grow eggplants
- They grow eggplants in raised beds.
- slice eggplant
- Slice the eggplant into thick rounds.
- stuffed eggplant
- Stuffed eggplant is a classic Turkish dish.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aubergine
- This is the standard British word for the same vegetable, so it is used in the UK where Americans say eggplant.
- brinjal
- This is common in Indian and South Asian English, and is used when talking about local cooking there.
Word family
- eggplants noun
- plural form
- vegetable noun
- a plant or part of a plant eaten as food
- nightshade noun
- the plant family that includes eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes
Commonly confused: eggplant or aubergine?
eggplant vs aubergine
It is the same vegetable. Use eggplant in American English and aubergine in British English.
Practice
Which word would a British shopper most likely use for an eggplant?
Choose one answer.
Aubergine is the British word for eggplant. A marrow, a courgette and a swede are all different vegetables.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “eggplant”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.