Is an eggplant a fruit or a vegetable?

Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its scientific name is Solanum melongena. While it is commonly thought of as a vegetable and is used in savory dishes like vegetable stews and curries, it is actually a fruit.

In botanical terms, a fruit is the mature ovary of a flowering plant that contains seeds. Eggplants have seeds and develop from the flower of the plant, so they are classified as a fruit. However, they are often considered a vegetable because they are not sweet and are used in savory dishes.