watermelon
Americannoun
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watermelons
plural
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the large, roundish or elongated fruit of a trailing vine, Citrullus lanata, of the gourd family, having a hard, green rind and a sweet, juicy, usually pink or red pulp.
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the vine itself.
noun
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an African melon, Citrullus vulgaris, widely cultivated for its large edible fruit
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the fruit of this plant, which has a hard green rind and sweet watery reddish flesh
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of watermelon
Explanation
A watermelon is a plant that grows vines and flowers that ripen into large, juicy fruit also called watermelon. Cold watermelon is delicious at a backyard barbecue. Like squashes and gourds, watermelons grow from long, climbing vines. The deep pink or red flesh of a watermelon, however, is uniquely sweet, juicy, and refreshing. Watermelons are originally native to Africa, and they were brought to North America and cultivated around the 16th century. For many people, it's just not summer without watermelon — the fruit is over 90 percent water, so it's not just delicious, but it also quenches your thirst.
Vocabulary lists containing watermelon
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Parents could choose from an approved list of foods for birthdays; watermelon was OK.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
I spoke to one of the boat staff, Alessio, after he had finished handing round slices of watermelon to the clientele.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
For older kids, ramp up fruit intake - particularly juicy fruit, such as watermelon and oranges.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
There’s no way Clayton’s very seared salmon with watermelon radish can top a Jean-Georges chocolate mousse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
My grandparents can get into trouble as easily as a fly can land on a watermelon.
From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech
By the end of the night, the pavement was littered with busted watermelons, sodas and chips, according to law enforcement and social media videos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
“We’re not trying to crush watermelons or anything.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
The pair reprised a much-loved segment during Letterman's stint as host - throwing furniture and watermelons off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater onto a CBS logo.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
Like, for example, when he recently invited Letterman back to “The Late Show” for one last goodbye and recruited him to throw company furniture, watermelons and a three-tiered cake off the theater’s roof.
From Salon ● May 21, 2026
Stella’s arms felt as if she'd been toting watermelons all day—everything about her felt heavy and slow and glum.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
