n.1 a tropical plant, Solanum melongena, having erect or spreading branches bearing white or purple egg-shaped fruit.
2 this fruit eaten as a vegetable. Also called EGGPLANT.
3 the dark purple colour of this fruit.
Etymology: F f. Cat. alberginia f. Arab. al-badinjan f. Pers. badingan f. Skr. vatimgana