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

Sweet almond, cucumber, rice bran, broccoli, and rose hip oils work together to give your skin the radiant glow of someone who gets their daily servings of veggies. —Lily Wohlner, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025

Tours of the property are followed by a wine tasting and traditional Kakhetian lunch featuring classics like the ubiquitous Georgian cucumber tomato salad with local sunflower oil—always with the Caucasus Mountains as a backdrop. —Jessica Jungbauer, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2025

While the classic pairing elsewhere may be schnitzel with sides of potato and cucumber salads, Gutierrez likes to pair Spätlese with dishes such as oysters with melon granita and halibut with mussel reduction. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2025

Last year, Harrison Bardwell, the farm’s ninth-generation proprietor, was selling thousands of pounds of cucumbers at a time, transportable by pallet and forklift. —Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 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