muskmelon

noun

musk·​mel·​on ˈməsk-ˌme-lən How to pronounce muskmelon (audio)
: 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 var. reticulatus) with netted skin and musky odor that include most of the muskmelons cultivated in North America
especially : cantaloupe sense 1

Examples of muskmelon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In other words, the difference between muskmelons and cantaloupe is that cantaloupe is a type of muskmelon—along with honeydew melons. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2024 Just like all mandarins are oranges, but not all oranges are mandarins; not all muskmelons are cantaloupes, but all cantaloupes are muskmelons. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2024 How to Choose a Ripe Melon The basic technique for choosing a ripe melon is the same for cantaloupe, honeydew, and muskmelon. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2024 Crops native to Africa, such as watermelon, okra, yams, black-eyed peas, kola nuts (the basis for Coca-Cola), hibiscus, sesame, muskmelons (like cantaloupe and honeydew), and most significantly, African rice, were transported on ships with enslaved Africans during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2024 While riding the train to visit her grandma, young protagonist Mai loses the large muskmelon she’d been entrusted to deliver. Alma Avalle, Bon Appétit, 25 Nov. 2023 Oka, for example, is a muskmelon bred around 1912 by a priest at a Montreal monastery. Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2019 That cuts down on labor costs, too; other muskmelon varieties need to be picked four or more times during the season. Debbie Arrington, sacbee, 22 Sep. 2017 My journey to the heart of the muskmelon cult started with a strawberry. Bianca Bosker, Slate Magazine, 27 Mar. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'muskmelon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of muskmelon was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near muskmelon

Cite this Entry

“Muskmelon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muskmelon. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

muskmelon

noun
musk·​mel·​on ˈməsk-ˌmel-ən How to pronounce muskmelon (audio)
: any of various round to oval melons (as the cantaloupes or winter melons) of an Asian vine of the gourd family that have smooth or ridged skin and edible usually sweet flesh

More from Merriam-Webster on muskmelon

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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