Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

melonmore about melon

melon

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Melon  \Mel"on\,  n.  [F.,  fr  L.  melo,  for  melopepo  an 
  apple-shaped  melon,  Gr  ?;  ?  apple  +  ?  a  species  of  large 
  melon;  cf  L.  malum  apple.  Cf  {Marmalade}.] 
  1.  (Bot.)  The  juicy  fruit  of  certain  cucurbitaceous  plants, 
  as  the  muskmelon,  watermelon,  and  citron  melon;  also  the 
  plant  that  produces  the  fruit. 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  A  large  ornamental,  marine,  univalve  shell  of 
  the  genus  {Melo}. 
 
  {Melon  beetle}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  small  leaf  beetle  ({Diabrotiea 
  vittata}),  which  damages  the  leaves  of  melon  vines. 
 
  {Melon  cactus},  {Melon  thistle}. 
  a  (Bot.)  A  genus  of  cactaceous  plants  ({Melocactus}) 
  having  a  fleshy  and  usually  globose  stem  with  the 
  surface  divided  into  spiny  longitudinal  ridges,  and 
  bearing  at  the  top  a  prickly  and  woolly  crown  in  which 
  the  small  pink  flowers  are  half  concealed.  {M. 
  communis},  from  the  West  Indies,  is  often  cultivated, 
  and  sometimes  called  {Turk's  cap}. 
  b  The  related  genus  {Mamillaria},  in  which  the  stem  is 
  tubercled  rather  than  ribbed,  and  the  flowers 
  sometimes  large  See  Illust.  under  {Cactus}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  melon 
  n  1:  any  of  numerous  fruits  of  the  gourd  family  having  a  hard 
  rind  and  sweet  juicy  flesh 
  2:  any  of  various  fruit  of  cucurbitaceous  vines  including: 
  muskmelons;  watermelons;  cantaloupes;  cucumbers  [syn:  {melon 
  vine}]




more about melon