What is the difference between a fruit and a vegetable?

Question

I have heard that only fruit contain seeds. So a pumpkin is a fruit. a cucumber is a fruit.

Answer 1

Fruit refers specifically to the specialized structure arising from ripening of the plant's ovaries to encapsulate the seeds. Generally this refers to thickened, fleshy structures, like apples, tomatoes, bananas, melons, etc., which promote animals to carry the seeds away from the plant. Any other edible parts of the plant, i.e. leaves, stems, roots, are grouped together as vegetables. The confusion comes with fruits that are not sweet or are used in non-traditional ways, like cucumbers, squash (including pumpkins and zucchinis), avocados, and technically even peapods (though peas and beans are seeds, which have classifications of their own), which are all fruits.

Answer 2

That's right. Fruits have seeds and come from plants which produce flowers. Again, that includes pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. That's scientifically speaking. It's not usually worth arguing with people though, and unless you're studying biology or something it doesn't really matter.

Answer 3

yes the seeds are what differentiates the two and tomatoes are also technically categorized as fruits

Answer 4

Why did you post this question in the Consumer Electronics section?