melon

noun

mel·​on ˈme-lən 

plural melons

often attributive

1

: any of various typically sweet gourds (such as a muskmelon or watermelon) usually eaten raw as fruits

2

: something rounded like a melon: such as

a

: a rounded organ in the front of the head of some cetaceans and all toothed whales that is composed of lipids and waxy material and is thought to be utilized in echolocation

b

: a person's head

A great afternoon at the park usually meant coming home with blisters on our hands, a bump or two on the melon and the obligatory skinned knee.

—Robb Moretti

3

a

: a surplus of profits available for distribution to stockholders

b

: a financial windfall

Examples of melon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Or invert melon rinds and place in your garden as traps for snails and slugs. —Jane Scurich, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024

The lightweight serum is formulated with antioxidants, gardenia flower, and melon seed oil to give hair shine and protect it from damage. —Rachel Simon, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024

Next was the melon herb chiller, which was a much milder and more refreshing beverage. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Mar. 2024

Cut melon, raw shell eggs and sliced tomato were stored at improper holding temperatures. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024

Yuma was in the grips of a brutal 110-degree heat wave last July when Dario Mendoza collapsed working in a melon field and died. —Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 27 Jan. 2024

Start cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and melons in large pots now for transplant in a few weeks, or seed them directly in the ground toward the end of the month. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024

Redolent of white flowers, fresh peach and apricot, on the palate, the wine is tropical-fruited, full-bodied and complex, smacking of tangerine, melon and spices. —Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

One summer evening, in the mid-19th century, Henry David Thoreau threw a party—a melon party, to be precise, a long-standing tradition of his earthy, garden-loving family. —Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin melon-, melo, short for Latin melopepon-, melopepo, from Greek mēlopepōn, from mēlon apple + pepōn, an edible gourd — more at pumpkin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing melon

• honeydew melon
• melon baller
• winter melon

Kids Definition

melon

noun

mel·​on ˈmel-ən 

: any of various fruits (as a cantaloupe, honeydew melon, or watermelon) of the gourd family that have juicy and usually sweet flesh eaten raw and a firm rind