pumpkin

[puhmp-kin, puhng-kin]

noun

1. a large, edible, orange-yellow fruit borne by a coarse, decumbent vine, Cucurbita pepo, of the gourd family.

2. the similar fruit of any of several related species, as C. maxima or C. moschata.

3. a plant bearing such fruit.

pumpkin

/ ˈpʌmpkɪn /

noun

1. any of several creeping cucurbitaceous plants of the genus Cucurbita, esp C. pepo of North America and C. maxima of Europe

2. 1. the large round fruit of any of these plants, which has a thick orange rind, pulpy flesh, and numerous seeds

   2. ( as modifier )

      pumpkin pie

3. (often capital) a term of endearment

Word History and Origins

Origin of pumpkin¹

1640–50; alteration of pumpion ( -kin ), variant of pompon < Middle French, nasalized variant of popon melon, earlier pepon < Latin pepōn- (stem of pepō ) < Greek pépōn kind of melon

Word History and Origins

Origin of pumpkin¹

C17: from earlier pumpion, from Old French pompon, from Latin pepo, from Greek pepōn, from pepōn ripe, from peptein to ripen

Example Sentences

Last October, a similar inflatable pumpkin went on a windy joyride, rolling into traffic and briefly “attacking” an officer before being wrangled back into submission.

Read more on Salon

Kelly's fiance, Sid Wilson, and their son, Sidney, were also there to see the pumpkins.

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“We all get a little bit exasperated when we see somebody shooting a video on a crosswalk holding a pumpkin,” Cole said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Crawford said the agency also could have moved “pumpkin” storage tanks into places where the natural supply might be low.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She enjoys curling up in fluffy pyjamas, drinking pumpkin spice lattes and the smell of cinnamon.

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Related Words

• fruit 
• squash