cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər 

: the fruit of a vine (Cucumis sativus) of the gourd family cultivated as a garden vegetable

also : this vine

Illustration of cucumber

Examples of cucumber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And Marcus Freeman successfully recast himself from the over-his-head young coach who lost to teams such as Marshall and Northern Illinois to the cool cucumber who took down guys such as Kirby Smart and James Franklin. —Jason Kirk, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025

While the Vacation partnership runs through September, the bar program leans into these ever-changing temperatures with strategic year-round summer drinks like the Easy Breezy—Ford's Gin, Pisco, white grape, passion fruit and cucumber—vacation insurance in liquid form. —Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Wooden stakes and cords held up the cucumber and cherry tomato plants. —Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025

There’s a little gem salad with peanuts and coconut and a shrimp cocktail served with melon and cucumber. —Beth D'addono, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French cucumbre, from Latin cucumer-, cucumis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cucumber

• cucumber mosaic
• cucumber tree
• sea cucumber
• spotted cucumber beetle
• squirting cucumber

Kids Definition

cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər 

: the long fleshy usually many-seeded green-skinned fruit of a vine of the gourd family that is grown as a garden vegetable

also : this vine

Medical Definition

cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər 

: the fruit of a vine (Cucumis sativus) of the gourd family that is cultivated as a garden vegetable and that has diuretic seeds

also : this vine