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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.


gherkin 1 British  
/ ˈɡɜːkɪn /

noun

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

    1. a tropical American cucurbitaceous climbing plant, Cucumis anguria

    2. the small edible fruit of this plant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Gherkin 2 British  
/ ˈɡɜːkɪn /

noun

  1. an informal name for Swiss Re Tower

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of gherkin

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

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.

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

The leading architect's previous work has included the Gherkin office block and the Great Court of the British Museum in London, and the Reichstag dome in Berlin.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2025

Diagrids have been used in other tall buildings, including the 46-story Hearst Tower in New York City, the iconic 40-story ovular Gherkin skyscraper in London and a section of the egg-shaped London City Hall.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2023

He and his partner, Mrs. Pickles, welcomed three hatchlings: Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño.

From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2023

This beats Swift's etymology of "cucumber," which he once gave at a dinner of the Philological Society: "King Jeremiah, Jeremiah King, Jerkin, Gherkin, Cucumber."

From John Bull, Junior or French as She is Traduced by O'Rell, Max

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