What separates a fruit and vegetable?

Botanically:

* Fruit: A fruit develops from the ovary of a flowering plant and contains seeds. This includes things like tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, and even beans and peas.

* Vegetable: Technically, a vegetable refers to any other edible part of the plant, like roots (carrots), stems (celery), leaves (lettuce), or bulbs (onions).

Culinary:

* Fruit: Typically sweet, eaten as a dessert or snack.

* Vegetable: Often savory, used in main courses or side dishes.

This leads to some interesting overlaps:

* Tomatoes are botanically fruits, but culinarily, they're often used as vegetables.

* Avocados are fruits, but their savory nature and use in salads makes them more "vegetable-like" in many people's minds.

In summary:

* Botanical definition: Fruit = develops from the ovary and contains seeds; Vegetable = any other edible plant part.

* Culinary definition: Fruit = sweet, dessert-like; Vegetable = savory, main course or side dish.

The distinction is a bit blurry, and it ultimately depends on how you're using the word and what your intent is.