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

The line of treats, baked fresh daily, comprise training treats, biscuits, and other items made with ingredients such as flaxseed, cinnamon, blueberries, strawberries, coconut oil, pumpkin, bananas, and chia seeds, in addition to whole wheat flour, chick pea flour, oat bran, and sunflower butter. —Pamela Brown, Hartford Courant, 26 Dec. 2024

In the new year, The Lord Mayor’s Lounge will offer a brand-new afternoon tea menu, the hotel’s 201st year, featuring feta and tomato on pumpkin seed bread, golden raisin buttermilk scones, citrus macaroons, and so much more. —Meredith Lepore, Robb Report, 24 Dec. 2024

Chia and pumpkin seeds are especially rich in magnesium. —Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Health, 23 Dec. 2024

For example, pistachios, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds. —Christina Pérez, Vogue, 23 Dec. 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