muskmelon

noun musk·mel·on \ ˈməsk-ˌme-lən \

Definition of muskmelon

: a usually sweet edible melon that is the fruit of an annual trailing or climbing Asian vine (Cucumis melo) of the gourd family: such as

a : any of various melons (C. melo reticulatus) with netted skin and musky odor that include most of the muskmelons cultivated in North America; especially : cantaloupe 1

b : winter melon 1

See muskmelon defined for kids

Recent Examples of muskmelon from the Web

That cuts down on labor costs, too; other muskmelon varieties need to be picked four or more times during the season.

— debbie arrington, sacbee, "Wonder why cantaloupes don’t smell like they used to?," 22 Sep. 2017
My journey to the heart of the muskmelon cult started with a strawberry.

— bianca bosker, Slate Magazine, "Why Should a Melon Cost As Much As a Car?," 27 Mar. 2017
Monozumi leads me back downstairs to the Sembikiya store and proudly shows me the muskmelons.

— bianca bosker, Slate Magazine, "Why Should a Melon Cost As Much As a Car?," 27 Mar. 2017

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