pumpkin

noun

pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən 

nonstandard

ˈpəŋ-kən 

often attributive

1

a

: a fruit of any of various cultivars of herbaceous plants (Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata, C. ficifolia, and C. argyrosperma) of the gourd family that is typically round and orange but may be another color or shape, that has a hard usually smooth skin with shallow longitudinal grooves, and that is grown for ornamental use or for its fibrous pale flesh used especially in baking or as feed for livestock

b

: any of several annual chiefly trailing American plants that bear pumpkins

2

: a strong orange color

Examples of pumpkin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Field pumpkins have a watery, stringy and sometimes bitter taste. —Claudia Alexander, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

The carousel then featured shots of Khai with some friends, as well as Halloween decorations, pumpkin decorating, Hadid’s skeleton costume and a snap of Khai trick or treating. —Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024

The first step of the recipe is making a homemade pumpkin puree. —Tess Foley-Cox, theweek, 4 Nov. 2024

Try oatmeal: Cold in overnight oats Hot in baked oatmeal Added to muffins and other baked goods Blended and used as breadcrumbs and protein bites Oatmeal is warm and comforting when prepared with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. —Karina Tolentino, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier pumpion, modification of French popon, pompon melon, pumpkin, from Latin pepon-, pepo, from Greek pepōn, from pepōn ripened; akin to Greek pessein to cook, ripen — more at cook

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pumpkin

• Japanese pumpkin
• kabocha pumpkin
• kobocha pumpkin
• pumpkin pie spice
• pumpkin spice
• pumpkin spiced

Kids Definition

pumpkin

noun

pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən 

1

: the usually round orange fruit of a vine of the gourd family widely used as food

also : a fruit (as a crookneck squash) of a closely related vine

2

: a usually hairy prickly vine that produces pumpkins

3

: a strong orange color

Medical Definition

pumpkin

noun

pump·​kin ˈpəm(p)-kən 

: the usually round orange fruit of a vine (Cucurbita pepo) of the gourd family that is widely cultivated as food and is the source of pepo