Definition

1. Noun:
   • A plant: A hairy upright herb (Solanum melongena) native to southeastern Asia but now widely cultivated.
   • A vegetable: The large, glossy, edible, egg-shaped fruit of this plant, used as a vegetable. It has a shiny skin that is typically dark purple but can occasionally be white or yellow.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The recipe calls for one large aubergine, diced.
  • She grows tomatoes and aubergines in her garden.
  • The skin of a fresh aubergine should be smooth and shiny.

Advanced Usage

• Culinary Context: The aubergine is a staple in many cuisines, such as Mediterranean (e.g., ratatouille, moussaka) and Asian (e.g., in curries, stir-fries). It is often valued for its ability to absorb flavors from oils and spices.
  • The secret to a good baba ghanoush is properly roasting the aubergine until the flesh is smoky and tender.

Variants and Related Words

• Eggplant: This is the common North American term for 'aubergine'. The words are synonyms.
  • In American recipes, 'eggplant' is used instead of 'aubergine'.
• Brinjal: A term commonly used in South Asian and South African English for the same vegetable.
  • The curry was made with brinjal and potatoes.

Synonyms

• Eggplant (primarily US and Canada)
• Brinjal (primarily South Asia and South Africa)
• Guinea squash (archaic/regional)

Related Phrases

• Aubergine colour: A deep, dark purple color similar to the skin of the common variety of the vegetable.
  • She painted her bedroom walls in a rich aubergine colour.

Noun

1. egg-shaped vegetable having a shiny skin typically dark purple but occasionally white or yellow
2. hairy upright herb native to southeastern Asia but widely cultivated for its large glossy edible fruit commonly used as a vegetable