Is a habanero pepper a fruit or a vegetable?

A habanero pepper is actually a fruit. More specifically, it is a type of berry. In botanical terms, a fruit is defined as the mature ovary of a flowering plant. Habanero peppers grow on a plant, and the part that is typically consumed is the pepper itself, which contains the seeds of the plant. This makes the habanero pepper a fruit, even though it is not typically thought of as one in culinary terms.

In contrast, vegetables are typically defined as the edible parts of plants that are not classified as fruits. This can include the leaves, stems, and roots of a plant. While peppers like habaneros are often used in savory dishes like vegetables, they are still classified as fruit from a botanical perspective.