winter melon

noun

1
: any of several muskmelons (such as a casaba or honeydew melon) that are fruits of a cultivated vine (Cucumis melo indorus)
2
: a large white-fleshed melon that is the fruit of an Asian vine (Benincasa hispida) and is used especially in Chinese cooking

Examples of winter melon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For dessert: a palate cleanser of winter melon with passionfruit and apple, before black-and-white dragonfruit topped with cream sorbet. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2023 For these special festivals, families prepare traditional dishes such as burfi (sweet nutty fudge), petha (sweet winter melon candy), spiced vegetable fritters, lamb biryani, and mutton kebabs to enjoy with friends and celebrate. Mariette Williams, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2023 Its setting is ideal for groups, as evidenced by the winter melon soup that requires ordering a day ahead. Bill Addisonrestaurant Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2022 For example, apple, snow fungus and lily petal soup will hydrate your body, whereas winter melon and barley soup will cool you down in hot weather. Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 13 Oct. 2022 Meat that goes into buns is also seeing inflation, and other items like red beans, winter melon and durian are scarce, said owner Joyce Chiu. Michael Hirtzer, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2022 Head to this Chinatown bakery for a variety of classic mooncakes, filled with winter melon, lotus, or red bean paste. Grace Wong, chicagotribune.com, 20 Sep. 2021 To be precise, Benincasa hispida, a vine whose fruit is also known as a wax gourd or winter melon. Chris Heath, The Atlantic, 15 July 2021 Ding Tea also has the best variation of one of my favorite boba tea flavors, winter melon. oregonlive, 13 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'winter melon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of winter melon was circa 1900

Dictionary Entries Near winter melon

Cite this Entry

“Winter melon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/winter%20melon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

winter melon

noun
: any of several muskmelons (as a casaba or honeydew melon) with smooth rind and sweet white or greenish flesh that keeps well
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