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mel·on

(mĕlən)

a. Any of various vines of the family Cucurbitaceae, especially Cucumis melo or Citrullus lanatus, widely cultivated for their edible fruit.

b. The fruit of any of these plants, having a hard rind and juicy flesh.

2. A fatty structure in the forehead of cetaceans, especially the toothed whales, thought to be used in the production of high-frequency sounds.

3. melons Vulgar Slang A woman's breasts.

[Middle English, from Middle French, from Old French, from Late Latin mēlō, mēlōn-, short for Latin mēlopepō, from Greek mēlopepōn : mēlon, apple + pepōn, gourd.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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