lemon

American  

[lem-uhn] / ˈlɛm ən /

noun

1. the yellowish, acid fruit of a subtropical citrus tree, Citrus limon.

2. the tree itself.

3. lemon yellow.

4. Informal.  a person or thing that proves to be defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory; dud.

   His car turned out to be a lemon.

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adjective

1. made of or with lemon.

2. having the color, taste, or odor of lemon.

lemon British  

/ ˈlɛmən /

noun

1. a small Asian evergreen tree, Citrus limon, widely cultivated in warm and tropical regions, having pale green glossy leaves and edible fruits

2. 1. the yellow oval fruit of this tree, having juicy acidic flesh rich in vitamin C

   2. ( as modifier )

      a lemon jelly

3. Also called: lemon yellow. 

   1. a greenish-yellow or strong yellow colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      lemon wallpaper

4. a distinctive tart flavour made from or in imitation of the lemon

5. slang  a person or thing considered to be useless or defective

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Other Word Forms

• lemon-like adjective
• lemonish adjective
• lemonlike adjective
• lemony adjective

Etymology

Origin of lemon

1350–1400; 1905–10 lemon for def. 4; < Medieval Latin lemōnium; replacing Middle English lymon < Medieval Latin līmō, (stem līmōn- ) < Persian līmū, līmun

Example Sentences

If this is the last dish you’re trying to make and you’re too tired to even lift your fork, the easiest thing you can make is boiled green beans with butter and lemon.

From Salon

I used blood orange and lemon, scraping their zest and squeezing their juice into the batter, which is enriched with more than a half-cup of olive oil.

From The Wall Street Journal

His family says they fill large crates with 500 pounds of lemons, oranges and grapefruit, often in triple-digit heat without any company-paid breaks.

From Los Angeles Times

“The city wins. Their people win. We win every time they come down that street and they spray that nice lemon smell.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Some of them are a bit crisp, and there’s lemon juice and salt on it.

From Los Angeles Times