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, and C. mixta synonym 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 Michoacan File April 11 Menu: The meal begins with a pumpkin seed dip, spicy cactus paddle salad and calabacitas Michoacanas.
—
Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 2 Apr. 2024
Sweet pumpkin recipes are a fall mainstay, but this opts for a more savory presentation of the gourd.
—Nick Siano, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024
Aim for protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, eggs, pumpkin seeds, B vitamins and Vitamin D, dark chocolate, turmeric, chamomile, yogurt, green tea and Brazil nuts.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
These include pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, soy (tofu or edamame), and black beans.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
Past limited-release flavors include banana macha, cake and sugar cookie, pumpkin pie and piña colada.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Feb. 2024
Broccoli Salad With Curry Vinaigrette While creamy broccoli salads are a classic for a reason, try something different with this dish featuring crisp apples, sweet dates, toasted pumpkin seeds and a flavorful curry vinaigrette.
—Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The protein comes from a diverse blend of pea, watermelon seed, and pumpkin seed, which also contributes to the 2 grams of fiber in each serving.
—April Benshosan, Glamour, 13 Mar. 2024
These items include air fryers, rice cakes, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as spray oils, which can be dispensed more sparingly and some of which contain less fat than regular cooking oils.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 2 Apr. 2024
Sweet pumpkin recipes are a fall mainstay, but this opts for a more savory presentation of the gourd.
—Nick Siano, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024
Aim for protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, eggs, pumpkin seeds, B vitamins and Vitamin D, dark chocolate, turmeric, chamomile, yogurt, green tea and Brazil nuts.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
These include pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, soy (tofu or edamame), and black beans.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
Past limited-release flavors include banana macha, cake and sugar cookie, pumpkin pie and piña colada.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Feb. 2024
Broccoli Salad With Curry Vinaigrette While creamy broccoli salads are a classic for a reason, try something different with this dish featuring crisp apples, sweet dates, toasted pumpkin seeds and a flavorful curry vinaigrette.
—Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The protein comes from a diverse blend of pea, watermelon seed, and pumpkin seed, which also contributes to the 2 grams of fiber in each serving.
—April Benshosan, Glamour, 13 Mar. 2024
These items include air fryers, rice cakes, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as spray oils, which can be dispensed more sparingly and some of which contain less fat than regular cooking oils.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pumpkin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pumpkin
Cite this Entry
“Pumpkin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pumpkin. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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