noun
Common
lime
lym
Lime (noun) means a small, round, green citrus fruit with a sharp, tart flavor. Example: “Squeeze a lime over the tacos.”
noun
1
A small, round, green citrus fruit with a sharp, tart flavor.
"Squeeze a lime over the tacos."
"I added a slice of lime to my sparkling water."
"The recipe needs the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt."
2
A bright, slightly yellowish-green color.
"The walls were painted a vivid lime."
3
Calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide, used in construction, farming, and industry.
"Farmers spread lime on acidic soil to raise its pH."
"The builders mixed lime into the mortar before repairing the old stone wall."
"A bag of lime sat in the shed next to the gardening tools."
4
A deciduous tree of the genus Tilia, also called the linden — unrelated to the citrus tree.
"A row of lime trees lined the avenue."
"Bees buzzed around the lime in the park when it flowered in summer."
"We sat in the shade of a huge old lime."
verb
1
To treat soil or material with lime (the mineral).
"They limed the field before planting."
"If your soil is too acidic, you may need to lime it each autumn."
"Gardeners often lime the lawn to help the grass grow better."
How to use lime
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often the green citrus fruit or its color — but also a building material (quicklime) and, confusingly, a completely different tree (the linden).
Common mistake
Don't confuse the "lime tree" (linden, Tilia) with the tree that grows citrus limes — they're unrelated species sharing a name by coincidence.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
lime juice
lime green
a squeeze of lime
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Word forms
- Plural
- limes
- Third person singular
- limes
- Past tense
- limed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Squeeze a _____ over the tacos.
Etymology
From Old English līm ("glue, mortar"), related to Germanic words for "glue"; the citrus-fruit sense entered English separately via French and ultimately Arabic/Persian.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for lime
See all rhymes for lime →Frequently asked questions
What does “lime” mean?
The word “lime” means a small, round, green citrus fruit with a sharp, tart flavor. In plain terms, most often the green citrus fruit or its color — but also a building material (quicklime) and, confusingly, a completely different tree (the linden).
How do you pronounce “lime”?
“Lime” is pronounced lym (/laɪm/ in IPA).
How do you use “lime” in a sentence?
Here is “lime” used in a sentence: “Squeeze a lime over the tacos.”
What part of speech is “lime”?
Depending on how it is used, “lime” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “lime” come from?
The word “lime” comes from French. From Old English līm ("glue, mortar"), related to Germanic words for "glue"; the citrus-fruit sense entered English separately via French and ultimately Arabic/Persian.
Is “lime” a common word?
“Lime” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “lime” have?
“Lime” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small, round, green citrus fruit with a sharp, tart flavor.
What is the difference between "lime" the fruit and "lime" the mineral?
"Lime" the fruit is a small, tart, green citrus fruit used in cooking and drinks. "Lime" the mineral refers to calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide, a completely different substance used in construction, farming, and industry — the two meanings are unrelated despite sharing a name.
Is a lime tree the same as the tree that produces lime fruit?
No. The citrus tree that produces lime fruit is distinct from the tree also called "lime" in British English, which is a deciduous tree of the genus Tilia (also known as linden). These two trees are botanically unrelated.
What does it mean to "lime" soil?
Used as a verb, "to lime" soil means to treat it with lime, the mineral calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide, typically to reduce acidity in farming or construction.
What color is "lime"?
As a color, "lime" describes a bright, slightly yellowish-green shade, named after the citrus fruit's peel color.
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