noun
Uncommon
watermelon
WAW-tuh-meh-luhn
Watermelon (noun) means a large fruit with a hard green rind and sweet, watery red flesh, or the plant that grows it. Example: “We sliced up a cold watermelon for the picnic.”
noun
1
A large fruit with a hard green rind and sweet, watery red flesh, or the plant that grows it.
"We sliced up a cold watermelon for the picnic."
"Watermelon plants need a lot of space to spread their vines."
2
A shade of pinkish-red similar to watermelon flesh.
"She painted her nails a bright watermelon color."
How to use watermelon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big, juicy, red-fleshed fruit — or the pink-red color that matches it.
Common pairings
slice of watermelon
watermelon seeds
watermelon pink
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Word forms
- Plural
- watermelons
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Can you complete this real example?
We sliced up a cold _____ for the picnic.
Etymology
From the 1610s, simply "water" plus "melon," describing its unusually high water content compared to other melons. Other languages coined near-identical compounds, like French melon d'eau and German Wassermelone.
Class of 1610
watermelon joined the language around 1610.
See the full Class of 1610 →
Synonyms
View more →
breasts
Related words
Rhymes for watermelon
See all rhymes for watermelon →Frequently asked questions
What does “watermelon” mean?
The word “watermelon” means a large fruit with a hard green rind and sweet, watery red flesh, or the plant that grows it. In plain terms, a big, juicy, red-fleshed fruit — or the pink-red color that matches it.
How do you pronounce “watermelon”?
“Watermelon” is pronounced WAW-tuh-meh-luhn (/ˈwɑtəɹˌmɛlən/ in IPA).
How do you use “watermelon” in a sentence?
Here is “watermelon” used in a sentence: “We sliced up a cold watermelon for the picnic.”
What is another word for “watermelon”?
Words with a similar meaning to “watermelon” include breasts.
What part of speech is “watermelon”?
“Watermelon” is a noun.
Where does the word “watermelon” come from?
The word “watermelon” dates back to around 1610 and comes from French. From the 1610s, simply "water" plus "melon," describing its unusually high water content compared to other melons. Other languages coined near-identical compounds, like French melon d'eau and German Wassermelone.
Is “watermelon” a common word?
“Watermelon” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “watermelon” have?
“Watermelon” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large fruit with a hard green rind and sweet, watery red flesh, or the plant that grows it.
