Are cucumbers fruits or vegetables?

Cucumbers are fruits.

From a botanical perspective, a fruit is the mature ovary of a flowering plant that contains seeds. By that definition, cucumbers are fruits. They develop from the female flower of the cucumber plant and contain seeds.

However, cucumbers are often used in culinary contexts as vegetables, which can be confusing. The confusion arises because the term 'vegetable' is a culinary term and has no precise botanical definition.

Regardless of whether you consider cucumbers fruits or vegetables, they are a nutritious and delicious addition to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes.