gherkin

American  

[gur-kin] / ˈgɜr kɪn /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of gherkin

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

Example Sentences

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

Czechia’s chlebíčky: A slice of baguette with potato salad, ham, Emmental, tomato and gherkin.

From BBC • May 10, 2023

As I bit into the taut casing of the sausage, chunks of onion and gherkin fell here and there.

From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2022

In one of the barns, an assistant is working on a sculpture made of sausagelike elements, while just outside stands one of Wurm’s large gherkin sculptures.

From New York Times • Mar. 6, 2014

I rode up and into the tent, and, looking about, saw among other things one bottle of gherkin pickles about one quart of them.

From In the Early Days along the Overland Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852 by Cole, Gilbert L.