pumpkin

noun

pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən How to pronounce pumpkin (audio)
nonstandard
ˈpəŋ-kən How to pronounce pumpkin (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a fruit of any of various cultivars of herbaceous plants (Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata, and C. mixta synonym C. argyrosperma) of the gourd family that is typically round and orange but may be another color or shape, that has a hard usually smooth skin with shallow longitudinal grooves, and that is grown for ornamental use or for its fibrous pale flesh used especially in baking or as feed for livestock
b
: any of several annual chiefly trailing American plants that bear pumpkins
2
: a strong orange color

Examples of pumpkin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Read on for our countdown of 12 adaptations, from the really rotten pumpkins to the happiest of ever-afters. 12. EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 Field Notes An ayurvedic breakfast of cassava mash, salad and squash and pumpkin seeds with a creamy roasted red pepper sauce. Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Roasted Pumpkin Soup This recipe proves pumpkins aren’t just for carving. Nick Siano, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 There will be a stage filled with local musicians, a fleet of food trucks and a variety of local beer and wine, hayrides, artisan crafts, pumpkin painting and more. Dana Oland, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Elsewhere the seasoning needs tuning: The spice rub on the shrimp cocktail is harshly salty and unnecessary, and rockfish ceviche over mashed avocado and covered with pomegranate and pumpkin seeds could simply use more acid. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Look for rabbit with pancetta, pan- roasted foie gras, shrimp brulee, cobia with West Indian pumpkin or sweetbreads. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024 This has widespread impacts because pollinators are necessary for 35 percent of food crops to reproduce—apples, blueberries, tomatoes and pumpkins all need bird or insect pollination. Olivia Ferrari, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2024 And the scent of the season — pumpkin — is paired with everything from apples and cinnamon to marshmallows, lattes and waffles. Compiled By Elaine Rogers, Stephanie Allmon Merry and Celeste Williams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier pumpion, modification of French popon, pompon melon, pumpkin, from Latin pepon-, pepo, from Greek pepōn, from pepōn ripened; akin to Greek pessein to cook, ripen — more at cook

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pumpkin was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near pumpkin

Cite this Entry

“Pumpkin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pumpkin. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pumpkin

noun
pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən How to pronounce pumpkin (audio)
1
: the usually round orange fruit of a vine of the gourd family widely used as food
also : a fruit (as a crookneck squash) of a closely related vine
2
: a usually hairy prickly vine that produces pumpkins
3
: a strong orange color

Medical Definition

pumpkin

noun
pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən How to pronounce pumpkin (audio)
: the usually round orange fruit of a vine (Cucurbita pepo) of the gourd family that is widely cultivated as food and is the source of pepo

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