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pumpkin

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pumpkin

  • /ˈpʌmpkɪn/ UK
  • /ˈpʌm(p).kɪn/ US
  • [ˈpʰʌm(p).kʰɪn] US
  • [ˈpʰʌŋ̥kɪn] US
  • /ˈpɐmpkɪn/ Australia
  • /ˈpʊmpkɪn/ Northern England

Rhymes with -ʌmpkɪn, -ʌmkɪn

Where it comes from

Alteration of pompion, pumpion (“pumpkin”) with the diminutive -kin, from Middle French pompon, from Latin pepō (whence English pepo), from Ancient Greek πέπων (pépōn, “large melon”), from πέπων (pépōn, “ripe”), from πέπτω (péptō, “ripen”). The first attestation is from 1647.

The alternative theory that it may be from Massachusett pôhpukun (“grows forth round”) is false.

The automotive sense is by fancied resemblance.

noun pumpkins · punkin

  1. countable, uncountable A domesticated plant, in species Cucurbita pepo, similar in growth pattern, foliage, flower, and fruit to the squash or melon. Nevertheless, the comprehensive comparative analysis of pumpkin viromes across various geographic regions by NGS remains deficient.
  2. countable, uncountable The round yellow or orange fruit of this plant. There were pumpkins in Mombi’s corn-fields, lying golden red among the rows of green stalks; and these had been planted and carefully tended that the four-horned cow might eat of them in the winter time.
  3. uncountable The typical color of the ripe fruit of the pumpkin plant.
  4. Australia, countable, uncountable Any of a number of cultivars from the genus Cucurbita; known in the US as winter squash.
  5. US, countable, uncountable A term of endearment for someone small and cute. You must be daddy’s little pumpkin.
  6. countable, informal, uncountable The housing for a differential, built into an axle of a vehicle; the housing and its contents.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: autumn pumpkin, cucurbita pepo, pumpkin vine, peanut, honey, pickle, sugar, dumpling, muffin, cupcake, snowflake, doll, babe, baby, kiddo, luv

Translations

Every language

noun plant

Españolcalabaza, calabazera
한국어호박 hobak
日本語南瓜 kabocha, カボチャ kabocha
中文南瓜 nánguā
हिन्दीकुम्हड़ा kumhaṛā, कोंहड़ा kõhṛā, कद्दू kaddū, कदू kadū
Kiswahilimalenge, boga, maboga
Portuguêsabóbora, aboboreira, jerimum
Françaiscitrouille
DeutschKürbis, Kürbispflanze
Italianozucca
Ελληνικάκολοκύθα kolokýtha
Românăbostan, dovleac
Русскийты́ква týkva
Tiếng Việtbí ngô, bí đỏ
العربيةقَرْع qarʕ, يَقْطِين yaqṭīn, دُبَاء dubāʔ
עבריתדְּלַעַת dla'át

noun fruit of this plant

Españolcalabaza, calabazo
한국어호박 hobak
日本語南瓜 kabocha, カボチャ kabocha
中文南瓜 nánguā
हिन्दीकद्दू kaddū, कदू kadū, कुम्हड़ा kumhaṛā, कोंहड़ा kõhṛā
Kiswahilimalenge, boga
Portuguêsabóbora, jerimum
Françaiscitrouille, potiron
DeutschKürbis, Kürbisfrucht
Italianozucca
Ελληνικάκολοκύθα kolokýtha
Românădovleac, bostan
Русскийты́ква týkva
Tiếng Việtbí ngô, bí đỏ
العربيةقَرْع qarʕ, يَقْطِين yaqṭīn, دُبَاء dubāʔ
עבריתדְּלַעַת dla'át

noun color

Kiswahilimalenge
Portuguêsabóbora, cor de abóbora
Françaiscitrouille
DeutschKürbisfarbe, Kürbisfarben
עבריתדְּלַעַת dla'át

noun term of endearment

DeutschKürbis, Schätzchen, Mäuschen, Schnuckelchen

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Cite this
MLA

"pumpkin." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pumpkin. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

pumpkin. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pumpkin

Chicago

"pumpkin." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pumpkin.

BibTeX
@misc{pumpkin_2026,
  title = {pumpkin},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pumpkin},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}