Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a cultivar of a squash plant, most commonly of Cucurbita pepo, that is round, with smooth, slightly ribbed skin, and deep yellow to orange coloration. The thick shell contains the seeds and pulp. Some exceptionally large cultivars of squash with similar appearance have also been derived from Cucurbita maxima.
Specific cultivars of winter squash derived from other species, including C. argyrosperma, and C. moschata, are also sometimes called “pumpkin”.
In New Zealand and Australian English, the term pumpkin generally refers to the broader category called winter squash elsewhere.Native to North America, pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use and are used both in food and recreation. Pumpkin pie, for instance, is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in Canada and the United States, and pumpkins are frequently carved as jack-o’-lanterns for decoration around Halloween, although commercially canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie fillings are usually made from different kinds of winter squash than the ones used for jack-o’-lanterns.
Pumpkin (noun)
A domesticated plant, in species Cucurbita pepo, similar in growth pattern, foliage, flower, and fruit to the squash or melon.
Pumpkin (noun)
The round yellow or orange fruit of this plant.
Pumpkin (noun)
The color of the fruit of the pumpkin plant.
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Pumpkin (noun)
Any of a number of cultivars from the genus Cucurbita; known in the US as winter squash.
Pumpkin (noun)
A term of endearment for someone small and cute.
Squash (noun)
A sport played in a walled court with a soft rubber ball and bats like tennis racquets.
Squash (noun)
A soft drink made from a fruit-based concentrate diluted with water.
“When I’m thirsty I drink squash; it tastes much nicer than plain water.”
Squash (noun)
A place or a situation where people have limited space to move.
“It’s a bit of a squash in this small room.”
Squash (noun)
Something soft and easily crushed; especially, an unripe pod of peas.
Squash (noun)
Something unripe or soft.
Squash (noun)
A sudden fall of a heavy, soft body; also, a shock of soft bodies.
Squash (noun)
An extremely one-sided, usually short, match.
Squash (noun)
A plant and its fruit of any of a few species of the genus Cucurbita, or gourd kind.
Squash (noun)
Cucurbita maxima, including hubbard squash, great winter squash, buttercup squash, and some varieties of pumpkins.
Squash (noun)
(syn. ver=161009), cushaw squash.
Squash (noun)
Cucurbita moschata, butternut squash, Barbary squash, China squash.
Squash (noun)
Any other similar-looking plant of other genera.
Squash (noun)
Cucurbita pepo, most pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash, zucchini.
Squash (noun)
The edible or decorative fruit of these plants, or this fruit prepared as a dish.
“We ate squash and green beans.”
Squash (noun)
Muskrat.
Squash (verb)
To beat or press into pulp or a flat mass; to crush.
Squash (verb)
To compress or restrict (oneself) into a small space; to squeeze.
“Somehow, she squashed all her books into her backpack, which was now too heavy to carry.”
“We all managed to squash into Mum’s tiny car.”
Squash (verb)
To suppress; to force into submission.