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

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

Examples of melon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the palate, fresh red cherry, juicy melon, and stony minerality. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Cucumber beetles chew holes in leaves, flowers, and the skins of fruits of many plants including cucumbers, melons, pumpkins and squash. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 June 2025

Scrub firm fruits and vegetables like melons and potatoes. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 13 June 2025

Firm produce such as carrots, cucumbers, melons and potatoes can be scrubbed with a clean vegetable brush under running water, the FDA said. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 June 2025

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