muskmelon

noun

musk·​mel·​on ˈməsk-ˌme-lən How to pronounce muskmelon (audio)
: a usually sweet edible melon that is the fruit of an annual trailing or climbing Asian vine (Cucumis melo) of the gourd family: such as
a
: any of various melons (C. melo reticulatus) with netted skin and musky odor that include most of the muskmelons cultivated in North America
especially : cantaloupe sense 1

Examples of muskmelon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While riding the train to visit her grandma, young protagonist Mai loses the large muskmelon she’d been entrusted to deliver. Alma Avalle, Bon Appétit, 25 Nov. 2023 Oka, for example, is a muskmelon bred around 1912 by a priest at a Montreal monastery. Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2019 That cuts down on labor costs, too; other muskmelon varieties need to be picked four or more times during the season. Debbie Arrington, sacbee, 22 Sep. 2017 My journey to the heart of the muskmelon cult started with a strawberry. Bianca Bosker, Slate Magazine, 27 Mar. 2017 Monozumi leads me back downstairs to the Sembikiya store and proudly shows me the muskmelons. Bianca Bosker, Slate Magazine, 27 Mar. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'muskmelon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of muskmelon was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near muskmelon

Cite this Entry

“Muskmelon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muskmelon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

muskmelon

noun
musk·​mel·​on ˈməsk-ˌmel-ən How to pronounce muskmelon (audio)
: any of various round to oval melons (as the cantaloupes or winter melons) of an Asian vine of the gourd family that have smooth or ridged skin and edible usually sweet flesh

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