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• gherkin
  gherkin

  noun

  the small, immature fruit of a variety of cucumber, used in pickling.
• Gherkin
  Gherkin

  noun

  an informal name for Swiss Re Tower

gherkin

American  

[gur-kin] / ˈgɜr kɪn /

noun

• gherkins
  plural

1. the small, immature fruit of a variety of cucumber, used in pickling.

2. Also called bur gherkin,.  Also called gooseberry gourd,.  Also called West Indian gherkin.  the small, spiny fruit of a tropical vine, Cucumis anguria, of the gourd family, used in pickling.

3. the plant yielding this fruit.

4. a small pickle, especially one made from this fruit.

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gherkin ¹ British  

/ ˈɡɜːkɪn /

noun

1. the immature fruit of any of various cucumbers, used for pickling

2. 1. a tropical American cucurbitaceous climbing plant, Cucumis anguria

   2. the small edible fruit of this plant

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Gherkin ² British  

/ ˈɡɜːkɪn /

noun

1. an informal name for Swiss Re Tower

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gherkins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gherkin

1655–65; < Dutch gurken, plural of gurk ( German Gurke ) < Slavic; compare Polish ogórek, Czech okurka ≪ Persian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gherkin Gherkin gherkins

The gherkins “symbolized for me the last thing you have in your cupboards when you run out of everything. It starts from the last gherkin jar, and from there it all goes south.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2025

Burger King posted a poll on Twitter asking what people preferred on their burger; tomato or gherkin.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2022

In the melting pot we call Amur’can, Disagreeable stew has been perkin’, Made from yammering yam With a thick slice of ham And a limp, insignificant gherkin.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 7, 2017

Collectively it is like the plates offered by doomed, over-eager contestants in Masterchef: chilli and kiwi fruit vanilla gherkin lemongrass.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 11, 2012

"Not much of a yarn certainly," replied the stranger, holding his bottle up to the light while he speared a gherkin with his knife.

From Such Is Life by Furphy, Joseph

Dimon was personally involved in the design of Morgan’s, where he toasted the building’s opening last year with lead architect Norman Foster, the man behind London’s Gherkin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026

He told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that "instead of the Gherkin we have the Principality Stadium".

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2025

Foster, who holds the title of lord, designed the pickle-shaped Gherkin skyscraper in London and the master plan for the $2-billion One Beverly Hills condominium and hotel complex under construction in Beverly Hills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2024

The zoo announced last week that Mr. Pickles and Mrs. Pickles welcomed three tortoise hatchlings: Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño.

From New York Times ● Mar. 22, 2023

No; somebody quite common—I forget the name, but it was either Gherkin or Onion, or something of that sort.

From Puppets at Large Scenes and Subjects from Mr Punch's Show by Anstey, F.

The gherkins “symbolized for me the last thing you have in your cupboards when you run out of everything. It starts from the last gherkin jar, and from there it all goes south.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2025

Kherson remains without electricity, running water or heating, but residents found some relief in being able to purchase Ukrainian pickled gherkins, dumplings, horseradish and other favourites.

From Reuters ● Nov. 20, 2022

The filling, it should be noted, also contains finely-chopped bacon and sweet pickle relish, and the whole thing is topped with thin slices of pickled jalapeño peppers and/or gherkins.

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2021

Sweat the shallot in the oil until it softens, then add the gherkins, capers, and vinegar.

From BBC ● Dec. 23, 2017

To the south, the flowers give way to a patch of raveled gherkins.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr