melon

noun

mel·​on ˈme-lən 

plural melons

often attributive

1

: any of various typically sweet gourds (such as a muskmelon or watermelon) usually eaten raw as fruits

2

: something rounded like a melon: such as

a

: a rounded organ in the front of the head of some cetaceans and all toothed whales that is composed of lipids and waxy material and is thought to be utilized in echolocation

b

: a person's head

A great afternoon at the park usually meant coming home with blisters on our hands, a bump or two on the melon and the obligatory skinned knee.

—Robb Moretti

3

a

: a surplus of profits available for distribution to stockholders

b

: a financial windfall

Synonyms of melon

• head
• skull
• bean
• noodle
• pate
• dome
• noggin

Examples of melon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Once the melon is sliced, a blade can drag bacteria from the rind straight into the moist, nutrient-rich flesh, where pathogens have room to grow. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026

Sturdier produce such as potatoes, cucumbers and melons can stand up to more friction, and the Food and Drug Administration recommends scrubbing it with a clean produce brush. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Most harvest labor-intensive crops, such as melons, apples, and tomatoes, that machines can’t easily pick. — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026

Lagar de Fornelos 2021 Lindeiros has aromas of jasmine, honeydew melon, and green apple with flavors of melon, apple, and peach accented by bracing minerality and a saline finish. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin melon-, melo, short for Latin melopepon-, melopepo, from Greek mēlopepōn, from mēlon apple + pepōn, an edible gourd — more at pumpkin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing melon

• honeydew melon
• melon baller
• winter melon

Rhymes for melon

• felon
• snellen
• tellin
• endothelin
• gibberellin
• watermelon
• muskmelon

Kids Definition

melon

noun

mel·​on ˈmel-ən 

: any of various fruits (as a cantaloupe, honeydew melon, or watermelon) of the gourd family that have juicy and usually sweet flesh eaten raw and a firm rind