cucumber

American  

[kyoo-kuhm-ber] / ˈkyu kʌm bər /

noun

1. a creeping plant, Cucumis sativus, of the gourd family, occurring in many cultivated forms.

2. the edible, fleshy fruit of this plant, of a cylindrical shape with rounded ends and having a green, warty skin.

3. any of various allied or similar plants.

4. the fruit of any such plant.

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cucumber British  

/ ˈkjuːˌkʌmbə /

noun

1. a creeping cucurbitaceous plant, Cucumis sativus, cultivated in many forms for its edible fruit Compare squirting cucumber

2. the cylindrical fruit of this plant, which has hard thin green rind and white crisp flesh

3. any of various similar or related plants or their fruits

4. very calm; self-possessed

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cucumber Idioms  

1. see cool as a cucumber.

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Etymology

Origin of cucumber

1350–1400; Middle English cucumbre < Anglo-French, Old French co ( u ) combre < Latin cucumer-, stem of cucumis; replacing Middle English, Old English cucumer < Latin, as above

Explanation

A cucumber plant is a vine that grows the long, green gourds used to make pickles. Cucumbers are also commonly sliced and added to salads. You may think of cucumbers as vegetables, but they are actually fruits, belonging to the melon family. Raw cucumbers are slightly crunchy and make a great addition to salads and sandwiches, but their flesh is too delicate for cooking. The phrase "cool as a cucumber," or calmly unruffled, comes from the plant's tendency to remain cool in the garden even on a hot day. Before the 18th century, they were known as cowcumbers.

Example Sentences

Dubois insisted he was "not at all" rattled, before Wardley sarcastically replied: "Yeah, he's as cool as a cucumber."

From BBC • May 7, 2026

If you give one monkey a cucumber slice and you give another monkey a grape, the first monkey will throw the cucumber back at you—probably because you violated its sense of fairness.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

There’s tzatziki, a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that’s rooted in Greek cuisine.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

After a warm and ice-cold shower, he cleanses his face and rubs a frozen cucumber over it, which he says will reduce puffiness, acne and brighten his skin.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

She worked on the cucumber with an air of barely concealed triumph.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

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