lemon

[lem-uhn]

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.

adjective

1. made of or with lemon.

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

lemon

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lemon¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lemon¹

C14: from Medieval Latin lemōn-, from Arabic laymūn

Example Sentences

Elsewhere, a stripe of lemon yellow radiates against an inky background, interrupted by numerous dark patches.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sprinkle the surface with za’atar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

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On the other hand, crops such as sunflower, durum wheat, soybean, chickpeas, lemon and okra could become more viable, particularly in southwestern England or near the Scottish coast.

Read more on Barron's

That day, in her parents’ closet, Robinson turned lemons into hard lemonade, and with a visor high on her head like a regal crown, a new version of herself emerged — an entitled one.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And a bit of lemon zest—the punctuation mark that makes everything else sing.

Read more on Salon