Watermelon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈwɔːtəˌmɛlən/

Definitions

1. A sizable fruit featuring a thick green skin and sweet, moist red or pink pulp filled with seeds is typically eaten fresh or in salads during warm weather
2. This large, juicy fruit boasts a tough outer layer and sugary flesh, often consumed chilled for hydration and enjoyment in the heat
3. A large, sweet fruit with a green rind and juicy, red or pink interior that is often enjoyed fresh or as part of summer picnics and gatherings

Etymology: Watermelon is a plain compound: "water" plus "melon," the second element coming from Latin "melo" by way of Greek "mēlon," meaning "apple" or any round fruit. The fruit itself is a native of Africa, and the name simply describes it as a melon that is mostly water, with flesh that is famously juicy. The same logic appears across Europe, where French calls it "melon d'eau," German "Wassermelone," and Spanish "melón de agua." The first element carries a much older history. "Water" descends from a very ancient root that has been traced back to Proto-Indo-European, and it passed through Proto-Germanic and Old English before settling into its modern form. Because the compound is transparent, the word needed no special coinage; speakers simply joined two familiar words to name a familiar fruit. Politically, the term took on a second life. It is used to describe environmentalists who look green on the outside while holding red, socialist, or behind-schedule views inside, a figurative reading that borrows the fruit's green rind and red flesh.

Synonyms: melon