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

Synonyms of melon

• head
• skull
• bean
• noodle
• pate
• dome
• noggin

Examples of melon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The convenience of a tub of pre-sliced melon or a bag of shredded carrots isn't worth giving up control over how your food is handled, Marler says. — Angela Haupt, Time, 23 July 2026

Amid the garden beds, Cal Expo staff were busy harvesting vegetables and melons, loading them into the back of a white pickup truck. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026

If the Danish melon succeeds, Alouette may serve it more than once. — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

The beluga’s melon — the rounded structure at the top of its head that sits just in front of the blowhole —can change shape when the whale makes noise. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 20 July 2026

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

Rhymes for melon

• felon
• snellen
• tellin
• endothelin
• gibberellin
• watermelon
• muskmelon

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