brinjal
brinjal Lexical Profile
brinjal Game Scores & Validity
• noun
South African The glossy, typically purple-skinned fruit of Solanum melongena, widely cooked and eaten as a savory vegetable in South Asian, Southeast Asian, and South African cuisine.
"She roasted the sliced brinjal with turmeric, garlic, and coriander until it was tender."
South African A tropical Old World plant of the nightshade family (Solanum melongena), cultivated for its edible purple or white fruit.
"The farmer planted several rows of brinjal in the sunny, well-drained plot."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Brinjal" is the standard term for eggplant in South Asian, Southeast Asian, and South African English, whereas "eggplant" is used in North America and Australia, and "aubergine" is preferred in British English.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Portuguese "beringela", which came via Arabic and Persian from Sanskrit "vātingana" (eggplant).