cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər 

: the fruit of a vine (Cucumis sativus) of the gourd family cultivated as a garden vegetable

also : this vine

Illustration of cucumber

Examples of cucumber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s a little gem salad with peanuts and coconut and a shrimp cocktail served with melon and cucumber. —Beth D'addono, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025

High-water foods include celery, cucumbers, lettuce, and watermelon. —Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2025

It’s crafted with blue gin, cucumber, basil and citrus, perfectly capturing the colors and essence of the Northern Lights. —Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Nonalcoholic options like aguas frescas in flavors like pineapple, mango, cucumber lime, watermelon, tamarind and horchata will be available, too. —Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French cucumbre, from Latin cucumer-, cucumis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cucumber

• cucumber mosaic
• cucumber tree
• sea cucumber
• spotted cucumber beetle
• squirting cucumber

Kids Definition

cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər 

: the long fleshy usually many-seeded green-skinned fruit of a vine of the gourd family that is grown as a garden vegetable

also : this vine

Medical Definition

cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər 

: the fruit of a vine (Cucumis sativus) of the gourd family that is cultivated as a garden vegetable and that has diuretic seeds

also : this vine