pumpkin

noun

pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən 

nonstandard

ˈpəŋ-kən 

often attributive

1

a

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

British grocery data also show sweet potato sales spiking 45% last November, while canned pumpkin sales shot up 60% year-on-year, according to Brit Brief. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025

Apple and pumpkin pies are holiday staples all over the country, but buttermilk pie is a Southern speciality. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 Nov. 2025

The second course comes with a choice between turkey, Alaskan halibut, New York strip steak and a pork-pumpkin pasta dish, while the dessert course is a choice of pumpkin mascarpone tart or a caramel apple cake. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 2025

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and egg and mix until thoroughly combined. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing pumpkin

• Japanese pumpkin
• kabocha pumpkin
• kobocha pumpkin
• pumpkin pie spice
• pumpkin spice
• pumpkin spiced

Rhymes for pumpkin

• bumpkin
• lumpkin

Kids Definition

pumpkin

noun

pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən 

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 

: 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