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pumpkin
(pump′kin, pum′-; nonstandard puŋ′-)
noun
- a large, round, orange-yellow, edible fruit with many seeds
- the vine (Cucurbita pepo) of the gourd family on which it grows
- Brit. any of several varieties of squash (Cucurbita moschata and C. maxima)
Origin: altered (infl. by -kin) < pumpion < MFr pompon < L pepo < Gr pepōn, lit., cooked by the sun, ripe (hence a gourd not eaten until ripe), akin to peptein: see pepsin
See pumpkin in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- a. A coarse trailing vine (Cucurbita pepo) widely cultivated for its fruit.b. The large pulpy round fruit of this plant, having a thick, orange-yellow rind and numerous seeds.c. Any of several other vines of the genus Cucurbita, especially C. maxima or C. moschata, bearing large pumpkinlike squashes.
- A moderate to strong orange.
Origin:
Origin: Alteration (influenced by -kin)
Origin: of obsolete pumpion
Origin: , from obsolete French pompon, popon
Origin: , from Old French pepon
Origin: , from Late Latin pepōn
Origin: , from Latin, watermelon or gourd
Origin: , from Greek, ripe, large melon; see pekw- in Indo-European roots
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