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

Think melon bellinis; Tea Time Martinis with frozen hedgerow gin, elderflower, and pickled cucumber; and English Orchards built on Macallan Double Cask 12 Year, cherry liqueur, salted caramel, and chocolate bitters. — Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

This includes nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, as well as sweet potatoes, okra, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons, which are all less likely to struggle in hot weather. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026

Since no one balked at last year’s $400 melon, the same shop owners introduced a $150 grape juice shipped in from Nagano, Japan; in Amagansett, an $80 blueberry pie is already regularly selling out before the weekend’s over. — Mark Seliger, Vulture, 22 June 2026

Try lemons, limes, melons, strawberries, cucumbers, jalapeño slices, or mint leaves for variety. — Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 21 June 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