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

Pair the one-piece pumpkin costume with jeans or leggings for an effortless look that’s easily recognizable and shockingly affordable. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024

Spooky fun party with crafts, story time, pumpkin science and creepy crawlers. —Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024

But there's a good chance every bite of the nation’s orange obsession has its origins in the same spot: Morton, a sleepy hollow outside Peoria, Illinois that touts itself as the pumpkin capital of the world. —John Riley, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024

So a course called 'The Little Mermaid’s Ocean' featured lobster ravioli and Brittany seaweed, 'Rapunzel’s Hair' was formed from organic leeks and 'Cinderella’s Pumpkin' was an organic pumpkin sorbet. —Caroline Reid, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

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

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