pumpkin
PUHMP-kihn
Pumpkin (noun) means a large round orange fruit that grows on a vine, often used for cooking or carved for Halloween. Example: “They carved a scary face into the pumpkin.”
noun
1
A large round orange fruit that grows on a vine, often used for cooking or carved for Halloween.
"They carved a scary face into the pumpkin."
"We made soup from the leftover pumpkin."
"The farmer grew a huge pumpkin that was almost too heavy to lift."
"There were pumpkins in Mombi’s corn-fields, lying golden red among the rows of green stalks; and these had been planted and carefully tended that the four-horned cow might eat of them in the winter time."
— L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
How to use pumpkin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe big round orange squash used in pies, soups, and Halloween carving.
Common pairings
pumpkin pie
carve a pumpkin
pumpkin patch
pumpkin spice
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Word forms
- Plural
- pumpkins
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They carved a scary face into the _____.
Etymology
An altered form of "pompion," ultimately from Greek pepon, meaning a large ripe melon.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for pumpkin
See all rhymes for pumpkin →Frequently asked questions
What does “pumpkin” mean?
The word “pumpkin” means a large round orange fruit that grows on a vine, often used for cooking or carved for Halloween. In plain terms, the big round orange squash used in pies, soups, and Halloween carving.
How do you pronounce “pumpkin”?
“Pumpkin” is pronounced PUHMP-kihn (/ˈpʌm(p).kɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “pumpkin” in a sentence?
Here is “pumpkin” used in a sentence: “They carved a scary face into the pumpkin.”
What part of speech is “pumpkin”?
“Pumpkin” is a noun.
Where does the word “pumpkin” come from?
The word “pumpkin” comes from Greek. An altered form of "pompion," ultimately from Greek pepon, meaning a large ripe melon.
Is “pumpkin” a common word?
“Pumpkin” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between a pumpkin and a squash?
A pumpkin is technically a type of squash, but the term pumpkin is generally reserved for the large, round, orange varieties commonly used for carving or cooking. Squash is the broader category that includes many other shapes, colors, and varieties beyond the typical pumpkin.
Why are pumpkins associated with Halloween?
Pumpkins are associated with Halloween because their large size and thick flesh make them ideal for carving into jack-o'-lanterns, a decorative tradition using hollowed-out pumpkins with carved faces lit from within. Their autumn harvest timing also aligns naturally with the Halloween season.
Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?
Botanically, a pumpkin is a fruit because it grows from a flowering vine and contains seeds, but it is commonly treated as a vegetable in cooking due to its savory culinary uses. This dual classification is common among many fruit-vegetables like tomatoes and squash.
