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

The housekeeper must have come this afternoon, polished the wooden furniture with lemon, and wiped the windows with vinegar.

From Literature

At minimum, this might be a bowl of lemons, a pile of fresh herbs, flaky salt and a bottle of good olive oil.

From Salon

I was on day three of travel-induced “ick,” sitting in an airport Chili’s at 10:30 a.m., eating a cup of enchilada soup with a glass of ice-cold lemon water.

From Salon

But such arguments do little to allay the fears of prospective buyers who fear they could find they've handed over hundreds for a lemon.

From Barron's

Maybe a squeeze of lemon if the day demands brightness.

From Salon