pumpkin

pump·kin

noun, often attributive \ˈpəm(p)-kən, ÷ˈpəŋ-kən\

Definition of PUMPKIN

1

a : a fruit of any of various cultivars of herbaceous plants (Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata, and C. mixta syn. 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

Origin of PUMPKIN

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: 1654

Rhymes with PUMPKIN

drunken, sunken

pump·kin

noun \ˈpəm(p)-kən\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of PUMPKIN

: 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

pumpkin

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Fruit of certain varieties of Cucurbita pepo or C. moschata, of the gourd family. In the U.S., the thick-growing, small-fruited bush, or nontrailing, varieties of C. pepo are called squash, and the long-season, long-trailing, large-fruited varieties are called pumpkin. Pumpkins produce very long vines and large (9–18 lb [4–8 kg]), globe-shaped, orange fruits. Giant and miniature varieties are available. The usually lightly furrowed or ribbed rind is smooth, and the fruit stem is hard and woody. Pumpkins mature in early autumn and can be stored for a few months in a dry, warm place. They are commonly grown in North America, Britain, and Europe for human food and livestock feed. In Europe pumpkin is served mainly as a vegetable; in the U.S. and Canada pumpkin pie is a traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert. Pumpkins are used in the U.S. for Halloween decorations.