Muskmelon

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A fragrant fruit belonging to the gourd family that is typically juicy and sweet, varying in color from orange to green, and is often consumed fresh or incorporated into diverse recipes
2. A type of sweet and aromatic fruit that grows on vines, part of the gourd family, and is characterized by its juicy flesh, which can be orange, green, or yellow in color
3. This fruit, commonly enjoyed fresh or in dishes, is a member of the cucumber family, known for its distinctive sweet flavor and either green or orange flesh

Etymology: The muskmelon takes its name from its smell before anything else. "Musk" comes through Late Latin "muscus" from Persian "mushk", a word for the scent glands of the musk deer, and English applied it to any sweet, perfumed fragrance. "Melon" has a longer pedigree, descending from Latin "melo", borrowed from Greek "melopepon", literally "apple-gourd", which described the fruit's round, pumpkin-like shape. Put together, the two parts name a melon whose aroma is strong enough to be called musky. The compound is transparent in a way many English words are not: nothing about its formation required a myth, a coiner or a famous first use. It is simply a descriptive pairing of a scent and a fruit.

Synonyms: cantaloupe, honeydew, melon