tomato
tomato Lexical Profile
tomato Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The glossy red, or occasionally yellow, pulpy edible fruit of a plant belonging to the nightshade family, widely cultivated and typically eaten as a vegetable in salads, sauces, and cooking.
"She diced a fresh tomato and tossed it into the salad."
The South American plant of the nightshade family (Solanum lycopersicum) that produces the tomato fruit, widely cultivated in temperate and warm regions.
"We planted a row of heirloom tomatoes in the greenhouse this spring."
Word Nuance & Usage
While botanically classified as a fruit (a berry), the tomato is broadly categorized and used as a vegetable in culinary contexts.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Spanish 'tomate', derived from the Classical Nahuatl word 'tomatl', meaning 'swelling fruit'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.