melon
[ mel-uh n ]
/ ˈmɛl ən /
noun
the fruit of any of various plants of the gourd family, as the muskmelon or watermelon.
medium crimson or deep pink.
the visible upper portion of the head of a surfacing whale or dolphin, including the beak, eyes, and blowhole.
Informal.
- a large extra dividend, often in the form of stock, to be distributed to stockholders: Profits zoomed so in the last quarter that the corporation cut a nice melon.
- any windfall of money to be divided among specified participants.
Words nearby melon
melodrama, melodramatic, melodramatize, melody, meloid, melon, melon dome, melon foot, melon pear, melon seed, melon shrub
Origin of melon
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin mēlōn- (stem of mēlō), short for mēlopepō < Greek mēlopépōn apple-shaped melon, equivalent to mêlo(n) apple + pépōn pepo
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for melons
British Dictionary definitions for melons
melon
/ (ˈmɛlən) /
noun
any of several varieties of two cucurbitaceous vines, cultivated for their edible fruitSee muskmelon, watermelon
the fruit of any of these plants, which has a hard rind and juicy flesh
cut a melon US and Canadian slang to declare an abnormally high dividend to shareholders
Word Origin for melon
C14: via Old French from Late Latin mēlo, shortened form of mēlopepō, from Greek mēlopepōn, from mēlon apple + pepōn gourd
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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