lemon

noun

lem·on | \ ˈle-mən

Definition of lemon

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : an acid fruit that is botanically a many-seeded pale yellow oblong berry produced by a small thorny citrus tree (Citrus limon) and that has a rind from which an aromatic oil is extracted

b : a tree that bears lemons

2 : something (such as an automobile) that is unsatisfactory or defective

lemon

adjective

Definition of lemon (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of the color lemon yellow

2a : containing lemon

b : having the flavor or scent of lemon

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Examples of lemon in a Sentence

Noun

The recipe calls for the juice of two lemons. Garnish it with a slice of lemon. Our new car is a lemon.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Donut Monster is always offering new flavors, but some of its staples include the old-fashioned, maple bacon, cheesecake, lemon poppy and PB&J. Jackie Woods comes from an impressive culinary background. — Jeff Rumage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "After a year of farmer's markets and pop-ups, Donut Monster plans to open its first shop in Whitefish Bay," 15 July 2019 Linguini with clams are classic in that simple Italian way, with homemade pasta that has a springy, firm texture, clams in their shells, lots of garlic, parsley and fresh lemon. — Polly Campbell, Cincinnati.com, "Fausto is contemporary restaurant for Contemporary Arts Center," 15 July 2019 The family squeezed together on her armchairs, eating chili and biscuits and lemon pie. — Lizzie Presser, ProPublica, "The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It.," 15 July 2019 The Sauce will have eight sauces customers can pick from to pour on top of seafood, including sweet cajun, traditional garlic butter, lemon pepper and Jamaican jerk. — Anne Nickoloff, cleveland.com, "The Sauce Boiling Seafood Express makes quick-service bagged seafood meals," 15 July 2019 Oxtail is also available in tacos that, although not alien to northern Belize, are a nod to L.A. Seafood plays a prominent role, with dishes such as lemon pepper crab legs, baked salmon, crab soup and battered shrimp. — Hadley Tomicki, latimes.com, "Mother-daughter duo cook side-by-side at Belizean pop-up No Reservation L.A.," 12 July 2019 Raspberry Dream, topped with chocolate frosting, raspberries and sliced almonds. Blueberry Pie, topped with lemon frosting, blueberries and pie crumbles. — Ava Garcia, azcentral, "Vegan cinnamon rolls are coming to metro Phoenix. Here's when you can get one for $1," 8 July 2019 Royal Rose is a small-batch company in Newcastle, Maine, that specializes in simple syrups made from local ingredients like blueberry and more unusual blends, like lavender and lemon. — Amanda Shapiro, Bon Appétit, "The Secret Ingredient That Improves My Cocktails, Morning Yogurt, Delivery Pizza…," 8 July 2019 The latter is a take on the favorite Indiana State Fair drink, only this one is spiked with vodka and lemon bitters. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "Cake Bake Shop is finally open in Carmel, and it fulfills every sweet dream," 1 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Make LEMON PUDDING (from a mix) with 1 percent milk for dessert. — Susan Nicholson, Twin Cities, "7-day menu planner: For easy entertaining, try this linguine dish," 16 Apr. 2017 Jack Rudy Elderflower Tonic .5 oz. Lemon juice 4 oz. — Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, "This Holiday Cocktail Recipe Honors 170 Years of T&C," 18 Dec. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lemon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near lemon

Statistics for lemon

Last Updated

18 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for lemon

The first known use of lemon was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for lemon

lemon

noun

Financial Definition of lemon

What It Is

A lemon is an item whose defects were not outwardly apparent at the time that it was sold to a consumer. ”Lemon” has typically referred to a defective new car but its current application has become more widespread.

How It Works

What constitutes a lemon? Using the example of a car, any new vehicle that has a substantial and/or continuous problem that isn't fixed within a reasonable number of attempts, or that has had a certain number of days out of service or in repair. The legal definition according to many state statutes is as follows: 1) a new car can not be fixed for a substantial defect within four attempts; or 2) a safety defect can not be fixed within two attempts; or 3) the car is out of service for 30 days within the first 12,000 miles and/or the first 12 or 24 months of purchase., Under these conditions, the consumer may be entitled to a remedy from the manufacturer of either cash or a replacement car.

Federal and state laws to protect the consumer have been passed in response to the alleged proliferation of defective cars. The consumer is protected by three types of laws: The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, The Uniform Commercial Code, and various state laws.

Why It Matters

The consumer is armed with legislation to support his efforts to secure either a refund or replacement for his defective purchase. Aware of these rights, he can confidently assert his position when faced with a new vehicle (or other product) that is consistently needing repair.

Source: Investing Answers

lemon

noun

English Language Learners Definition of lemon

: a yellow citrus fruit that has a sour taste

: a bright yellow color

chiefly US, informal : a product that is not made well : a product that does not work the way it should

See the full definition for lemon in the English Language Learners Dictionary

lemon

noun

lem·on | \ ˈle-mən

Kids Definition of lemon

1 : an oval yellow fruit with a sour juice that is related to the orange and grows on a small spiny tree

2 : something unsatisfactory : dud The used car was a lemon.

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lemon

noun

lem·on | \ ˈlem-ən

Medical Definition of lemon

: an acid fruit that contains citric acid and vitamin C, is botanically a many-seeded pale yellow oblong berry, and is produced by a small thorny tree of the genus Citrus (C. limon) also : this tree