tomato

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish tomate, from Classical Nahuatl tomatl, from Proto-Nahuan *tomatl. Compare tomatillo.

noun

1. A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.
2. The savory fruit of this plant, red when ripe, treated as a vegetable in horticulture and cooking.
   Meronym: lycopene
   In common parlance tomatoes are vegetables, as the Supreme Court observed long ago [see Nix v. Hedden 149 U.S. 304, 307, 13 S.Ct. 881, 882, 37 L.Ed. 745 (1893)], although botanically speaking they are actually a fruit. [26 Encyclopedia Americana 832 (Int'l. ed. 1981)]. Regardless of classification, people have been enjoying tomatoes for centuries; even Mr. Pickwick, as Dickens relates, ate his chops in "tomata" sauce. 1990, JSG Trading Corp. v. Tray-Wrap, Inc., 917 F.2d 75 (2d Cir. 1990)
3. A shade of red, the colour of a ripe tomato.
   tomato:
4. (slang) A desirable-looking woman.
   Lookit the legs on that hot tomato!
   When she left the room, I asked Robert, “Who's the tomato?” “Marisa. She's from Mexico.” He had a telltale smile on his face. 2008, Denny Durbin, Lazy Enchiladas: Redefining Success: Tasty Lessons on Love, Life, & Relationships, Bodega Publishing, page 13
   That shirt makes you look like such a glorious tomato. 2015 https://www.bustle.com/articles/116384-19-old-fashioned-compliments-we-should-bring-back 19 Old-Fashioned Compliments We Should Bring Back]
   “Who's the tomato?” a cop said as Evie walked past. “Her? She's the stiff's niece,” another cop answered. Evie flinched to hear Will discussed like that. “You wanna clam up?” Malloy barked and the officers fell silent. 2020, Libba Bray, The King of Crows, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
5. (slang) A stupid act or person.

verb

1. (transitive, rare) to pelt with tomatoes
2. (transitive, rare) to add tomatoes to (a dish)