Why is eggplant a misnomer?

The name likely originated from its shape and color, which resemble a chicken egg. It's a bit of a historical quirk, much like calling a "sea cucumber" a cucumber when it's actually a marine animal.

Here's a breakdown:

* Eggplant is the fruit of the *Solanum melongena* plant.

* Fruit is the mature ovary of a flowering plant, containing seeds.

* Eggs are the reproductive cells produced by female animals.

So, while eggplant has a shape similar to an egg, it's a fruit and not related to eggs in any biological sense.