cucumber

noun

cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər How to pronounce cucumber (audio)
: the fruit of a vine (Cucumis sativus) of the gourd family cultivated as a garden vegetable
also : this vine

Illustration of cucumber

Illustration of cucumber

Examples of cucumber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For example, just over a cup of cucumber, including the peel, contains 20-27% of your daily vitamin K requirement. — Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2026 An Egyptian farmer tending to his cucumbers stumbled upon an ancient stone that led archaeologists to a much bigger discovery. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026 At the bar, cucumbers on ice water bar temped at 48 degrees and lemon wedges at 52 degrees. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 There are some plants, however, that don’t make good neighbors for cucumbers. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cucumber

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French cucumbre, from Latin cucumer-, cucumis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cucumber was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing cucumber

Browse Nearby Words

Cucumariidae
cucumber
cucumber angular leaf spot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cucumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cucumber. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cucumber

noun
cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər How to pronounce cucumber (audio)
: the long fleshy usually many-seeded green-skinned fruit of a vine of the gourd family that is grown as a garden vegetable
also : this vine

Medical Definition

cucumber

noun
cu·​cum·​ber ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər How to pronounce cucumber (audio)
: the fruit of a vine (Cucumis sativus) of the gourd family that is cultivated as a garden vegetable and that has diuretic seeds
also : this vine

More from Merriam-Webster on cucumber

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cucumber

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