cucumber
Americannoun
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a creeping plant, Cucumis sativus, of the gourd family, occurring in many cultivated forms.
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the edible, fleshy fruit of this plant, of a cylindrical shape with rounded ends and having a green, warty skin.
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any of various allied or similar plants.
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the fruit of any such plant.
noun
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a creeping cucurbitaceous plant, Cucumis sativus, cultivated in many forms for its edible fruit Compare squirting cucumber
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the cylindrical fruit of this plant, which has hard thin green rind and white crisp flesh
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any of various similar or related plants or their fruits
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very calm; self-possessed
Etymology
Origin of cucumber
1350–1400; Middle English cucumbre < Anglo-French, Old French co ( u ) combre < Latin cucumer-, stem of cucumis; replacing Middle English, Old English cucumer < Latin, as above
Explanation
A cucumber plant is a vine that grows the long, green gourds used to make pickles. Cucumbers are also commonly sliced and added to salads. You may think of cucumbers as vegetables, but they are actually fruits, belonging to the melon family. Raw cucumbers are slightly crunchy and make a great addition to salads and sandwiches, but their flesh is too delicate for cooking. The phrase "cool as a cucumber," or calmly unruffled, comes from the plant's tendency to remain cool in the garden even on a hot day. Before the 18th century, they were known as cowcumbers.
Vocabulary lists containing cucumber
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Similarly, the recalled Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes have the manufacturing code of Dec. 29, 2025, to Dec. 30, 2025, and expiration dates of June 29, 2028, to June 30, 2028, health authorities said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
"I think I have done two big pieces, which are Queer as Folk set in 1999, and looked at the world then. And then there was Cucumber, set in 2015," Davies said.
From BBC • Oct. 15, 2023
Cucumber sales fell 21 percent and pepper and eggplant sales fell 25 percent, the organization said.
From New York Times • Mar. 1, 2023
Cucumber cells will expand until around 20 days after pollination.
From Scientific American • Oct. 28, 2022
Cucumber slices fell off his eyes and rolled on the floor.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
