cantaloupe

noun

can·​ta·​loupe ˈkan-tə-ˌlōp 

also -ˌlüp

variants or less commonly cantaloup

1

: a small widely cultivated muskmelon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) with a heavily netted rind and usually orange flesh

broadly : muskmelon sense a

2

: a muskmelon (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis) with a rough hard warty rind that is not usually grown in North America

Examples of cantaloupe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other orange or yellow plants like sweet potato, cantaloupe, pumpkin and winter squash work the same way carrots do. —Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026

How to Choose a Ripe Melon The basic technique for choosing a ripe melon is the same for cantaloupe, honeydew, and muskmelon. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2026

Plants typically allowed to trail, such as cantaloupe and honeydew melon, as well as butternut and spaghetti squash, can also be trained to grow vertically, saving garden space in the process. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 May 2026

And while all of them make excellent snacks, most can also be swapped into recipes calling for cantaloupe or honeydew. —Joanna Sciarrino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Cantalupo, former papal villa near Rome, Italy

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cantaloupe

• antelope
• bronchoscope
• cystoscope
• endoscope
• envelope
• epitope
• gyroscope
• horoscope
• isotope
• microscope
• misanthrope
• pericope

Kids Definition

cantaloupe

noun

can·​ta·​loupe

variants also cantaloup

ˈkant-ᵊl-ˌōp 

: a muskmelon with a hard rough skin and reddish orange flesh