eggplant
UK[ˈeɡplɑːnt]US[ˈeɡplænt]
n
a large vegetable with smooth purple skin and soft white flesh inside
n
the plant that produces this vegetable
Morpheme Breakdown
egg
plant
egg
plant
Etymology
the word "eggplant" is a compound formed from two english words. its name originates from the 18th century, when varieties common in europe were small, white or yellow, and egg-shaped, leading to the descriptive term "egg-plant." the second element, "plant," has a deep history from latin 'planta', referring to a young growth. the term is thus a literal, shape-based description of the fruit's appearance, not its biological relation to eggs.
Analysis
Structure: egg + plant
"egg" (from middle english 'egge', old norse 'egg', meaning an egg); "plant" (from latin 'planta', meaning a sprout or young shoot, via old english 'plante').
Examples
she made a delicious moussaka with layers of eggplant and minced meat.
the eggplant in our garden grew larger than we expected this year.
you can grill slices of eggplant with a little olive oil and salt.