An eggplant is a vegetable.

The story behind the answer

False—botanically, eggplant (also called aubergine or brinjal) is a fruit, specifically a berry. Fruits develop from the flower’s ovary and contain seeds; eggplants fit this definition, even though we cook and eat them like vegetables. This culinary-botanical mismatch also includes tomatoes and peppers, which are eggplant’s relatives in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Fun context: Eggplants were domesticated in Asia, and their deep purple color comes from antioxidant pigments called anthocyanins. Memory tip: If it grows from a flower and has seeds, it’s a fruit—no matter how you serve it on your plate.