lime

[ lahym ]

/ laɪm /

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See synonyms for: lime / limed / limes / liming on Thesaurus.com

noun

the small, greenish-yellow, acid fruit of a citrus tree, Citrus aurantifolia, allied to the lemon.

the tree that bears this fruit.

greenish yellow.

adjective

of the color lime.

of or made with limes.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of lime

First recorded in 1615–25; from Spanish lima, from Arabic līmah, līm “citrus fruit,” from Persian līmū(n); cf. lemon

OTHER WORDS FROM lime

limelike, adjective

Words nearby lime

limbo, Limbourg, Limburg, Limburger, limbus, lime, limeade, lime burner, lime glass, lime green, Limehouse

Other definitions for lime (2 of 4)

lime²

[ lahym ]

/ laɪm /

noun

Also called burnt lime, calcium oxide, caustic lime, calx, quicklime. a white or grayish-white, odorless, lumpy, very slightly water-soluble solid, CaO, that when combined with water forms calcium hydroxide (slaked lime ), obtained from calcium carbonate, limestone, or oyster shells: used chiefly in mortars, plasters, and cements, in bleaching powder, and in the manufacture of steel, paper, glass, and various chemicals of calcium.

a calcium compound for improving crops grown in soils deficient in lime.

birdlime.

verb (used with object), limed, lim·ing.

to treat (soil) with lime or compounds of calcium.

to smear (twigs, branches, etc.) with birdlime.

to catch with or as if with birdlime.

to paint or cover (a surface) with a composition of lime and water; whitewash: The government buildings were freshly limed.

Origin of lime

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English līm; cognate with Dutch lijm, German Leim, Old Norse līm “glue,” Latin līmus “slime”; akin to loam

OTHER WORDS FROM lime

limeless, adjectivelimelike, adjectiveun·limed, adjective

Other definitions for lime (3 of 4)

lime³

[ lahym ]

/ laɪm /

noun

the European linden, Tilia europaea.

Origin of lime

First recorded in 1615–25; unexplained variant of obsolete line, lind, Middle English, Old English lind; see linden

Other definitions for lime (4 of 4)

lime⁴

[ lahym ]

/ laɪm /

noun Informal.

a shortened form of limelight.

Origin of lime

⁴

Shortened form

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lime in a sentence

Taste, and season with additional salt and lime juice, if desired.
Caribbean-inspired seafood stew brings warm island vibes to your table|Ellie Krieger|March 4, 2021|Washington Post
Fried and dusted with chili lime or nacho spice, they don’t taste much different from say, corn nuts or extra crispy shrimp.
They're Healthy. They're Sustainable. So Why Don't Humans Eat More Bugs?|Aryn Baker|February 26, 2021|Time
Our fanciest roller features “pressure points,” lime green ribs, and costs around $35.
This Is the Foam Roller My Family Fights Over|Abigail Wise|January 27, 2021|Outside Online
Prior to serving, add the lime juice, then season with salt to taste.
7 Wellness Strategies to Build Resilience|Brad Stulberg|January 22, 2021|Outside Online

In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, wine or water with the orange and lime juices.
Aromatic roasted chicken with homemade adobo is an updated take on a classic meal|Christian Vazquez|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
Think wearing yellow lipstick, lime-green nails, and a SpongeBob SquarePants jumper with no trousers.
The Improbable Rise of Rita Ora: A Guide for the Modern-Day Celebrity|Emma Gannon|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some were injected with chemicals or dosed in lime for better preservation.
Palermo Has an Underground City Filled With Its Mummified Dead|Nina Strochlic|May 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At a taco truck in New York I asked how their lime stock was faring.
Limepocalypse! Inside the Great Lime Shortage of 2014|Kara Cutruzzula|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Maybe all this Sturm und Drang will give birth to a new lime-lite generation of cocktails.
Limepocalypse! Inside the Great Lime Shortage of 2014|Kara Cutruzzula|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The verjus gives it that hit of sour acid, which is what we generally use lime for in cocktails.
Limepocalypse! Inside the Great Lime Shortage of 2014|Kara Cutruzzula|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Why not have sought out the pure white lime-rocks of the flat country, or the grey granite of the hills?
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
For instance, the Limestone Polypody is not happy unless there is a certain amount of lime present in the soil.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
But, before they can be used for this purpose, these leaves are coated with lime made from oyster shells and then folded up.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin|Mary Hazelton Wade
The acid is extracted from the juice of the citron, the lime, and the lemon, fruits grown in Sicily and the West Indies.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
Chloride of Lime … bad smell … bad egg … white of egg … fowl … grain … flour … flour and water … milk fluid … milk.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)

British Dictionary definitions for lime (1 of 4)

lime¹

/ (laɪm) /

noun

short for quicklime, birdlime, slaked lime

agriculture any of certain calcium compounds, esp calcium hydroxide, spread as a dressing on lime-deficient land

verb (tr)

to spread (twigs, etc) with birdlime

to spread a calcium compound upon (land) to improve plant growth

to catch (animals, esp birds) with or as if with birdlime

to whitewash or cover (a wall, ceiling, etc) with a mixture of lime and water (limewash)

Word Origin for lime

Old English līm; related to Icelandic līm glue, Latin līmus slime

British Dictionary definitions for lime (2 of 4)

lime²

/ (laɪm) /

noun

a small Asian citrus tree, Citrus aurantifolia, with stiff sharp spines and small round or oval greenish fruits

the fruit of this tree, having acid fleshy pulp rich in vitamin C
(as modifier)lime juice

adjective

having the flavour of lime fruit

Word Origin for lime

C17: from French, from Provençal, from Arabic līmah

British Dictionary definitions for lime (3 of 4)

lime³

/ (laɪm) /

noun

any linden tree, such as Tilia europaea, planted in many varieties for ornament

Word Origin for lime

C17: changed from obsolete line, from Old English lind linden

British Dictionary definitions for lime (4 of 4)

lime⁴

/ (laɪm) /

verb

(intr) Caribbean slang (of young people) to sit or stand around on the pavement

Word Origin for lime

of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for lime

lime

[ līm ]

A white, lumpy, caustic powder made of calcium oxide sometimes mixed with other chemicals. It is made industrially by heating limestone, bones, or shells. Lime is used as an industrial alkali, in waste treatment, and in making glass, paper, steel, insecticides, and building plaster. It is also added to soil to lower its acidity.

lime

Origin of lime

OTHER WORDS FROM lime

Words nearby lime

Other definitions for lime (2 of 4)

Origin of lime

OTHER WORDS FROM lime

Other definitions for lime (3 of 4)

Origin of lime

Other definitions for lime (4 of 4)

Origin of lime

Words related to lime

How to use lime in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lime (1 of 4)

Word Origin for lime

British Dictionary definitions for lime (2 of 4)

Word Origin for lime

British Dictionary definitions for lime (3 of 4)

Word Origin for lime

British Dictionary definitions for lime (4 of 4)

Word Origin for lime

Scientific definitions for lime