cucumber
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbɚ/
homophone: Qcumber
ipa: /ˈkaʊˌkʌmbəɹ/
note: Indic
ipa: /kʊˈkʊmbə(r)/
note: Indic
ipa: /kʊˈkəmbə(r)/
Forms: form: cucumbers
form: cumber
Etymology: From Middle English cucumer, cucumber, from Old French cocombre, ultimately from Latin cucumis, cucumerem (possibly through an Old Occitan intermediate). Probably of Pre-Italic substrate origin.
Senses: examples: text: ASPARAGUS, cauliflowers, imperial Sileſia, royal and cabbage lettuces, burnet, purſlain, cucumbers, naſturtian flowers, peaſe and beans ſown in October, artichokes, ſcarlet ſtrawberries, and kidney beans.
ref: 1767, A Lady [Hannah Glasse], The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Eaſy […] , page 326:
glosses: A vine in the gourd family, Cucumis sativus.
examples: text: […]for it has been a common ſaying of phyſicians in England, that a cucumber ſhould be well ſliced, and dreſſed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.
ref: 1785, James Boswell, quoting Samuel Johnson, Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnſon […] , London: Henry Baldwin, page 356:
text: "Why, pepper and salt your reasons!" cried Curl, forgetting to look at the door for a moment: "your pamphlet has talent; but talent is like a cucumber, nothing without the dressing. You must be more personal."
ref: 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Publishing”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 14:
text: Probably on account of its phallic formation, the cucumber is often assumed to have aphrodisiac qualities.
ref: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 71:
text: To the bowl, add cucumber, cabbage and carrot.
ref: 2025 March 12, David Tanis, “Cucumber-Cabbage Salad With Sesame”, in New York Times Cooking, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Mar 2025:
topics: food
lifestyle
vegetable
synonyms: word: cuke
word: cumber
glosses: The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh.
examples: ref: 1986, Linking Technology and Users, pages 41 passage=Just a few tips will help even the most anxious of us get a bit of control over the presentation of information and thus appear to be that "cool cucumber" in cognito!:
text: The guy's a real cucumber.
ref: 1999, Mark Grantham, The Brewery, page 275:
text: That Wolf is one cool cucumber.
ref: 2002, Margaret Fisher, Putting on Mock Trials, page 29:
text: "You're smart," says Irv, pointing at her and nodding his head. "A smart cucumber."
ref: 2018, Derek B. Miller, American By Day, page 65:
glosses: A person who is calm and self-possessed.
Coordinate terms: courgette
gherkin
marrow
pickle
squash
zucchini
Derived terms: sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumberade
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumber beetle
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumber fish
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumberfish
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumberita
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumber mosaic virus
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumber time
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumbertini
sense: Affixed and blended forms
word: cucumber tree
sense: derived terms
word: Qcumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the beginning
word: cucumber herring
sense: Expressions with this term at the beginning
word: cucumberish
sense: Expressions with this term at the beginning
word: cucumberless
sense: Expressions with this term at the beginning
word: cucumberlike
sense: Expressions with this term at the beginning
word: cucumber mullet
sense: Expressions with this term at the beginning
word: cucumbery
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: aardvark cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: Armenian cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: bitter cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: burr cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: calm as a cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: cool as a cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: devil's cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: exploding cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: gemsbok cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: maroon cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: sea cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: serpent cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: slicing cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: smacked cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: snake cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: spotted cucumber beetle
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: squirting cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: star cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: striped cucumber beetle
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: stuffing cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: telegraph cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: wild cucumber
sense: Expressions with this term at the middle or end
word: zombie's cucumber
Related terms: english: cucumber-shaped
translation: cucumber-shaped
word: cucumiform