lemon
[ lem-uh n ]
/ ˈlɛm ən /
noun
the yellowish, acid fruit of a subtropical citrus tree, Citrus limon.
the tree itself.
Informal.
a person or thing that proves to be defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory; dud: His car turned out to be a lemon.
adjective
made of or with lemon.
having the color, taste, or odor of lemon.
Origin of lemon
1350–1400; 1905–10
for def 4; < Medieval Latin
lemōnium; replacing Middle English
lymon < Medieval Latin
līmō, (stem
līmōn-) < Persian
līmū, līmun
OTHER WORDS FROM lemon
lem·on·ish, adjective lem·on·like, lem·on·y, adjectiveWords nearby lemon
lemnian,
lemniscate,
lemniscus,
lemnitzer,
lemnos,
lemon,
lemon balm,
lemon cheese,
lemon drop,
lemon fish,
lemon geranium
Example sentences from the Web for lemon
British Dictionary definitions for lemon
lemon
/ (ˈlɛmən) /
noun
a small Asian evergreen tree, Citrus limon, widely cultivated in warm and tropical regions, having pale green glossy leaves and edible fruits
Related adjectives: citric, citrine, citrous
- the yellow oval fruit of this tree, having juicy acidic flesh rich in vitamin C
- (as modifier)a lemon jelly
Also called: lemon yellow
- a greenish-yellow or strong yellow colour
- (as adjective)lemon wallpaper
a distinctive tart flavour made from or in imitation of the lemon
slang
a person or thing considered to be useless or defective
Derived forms of lemon
lemonish, adjective lemon-like, adjectiveWord Origin for lemon
C14: from Medieval Latin
lemōn-, from Arabic
laymūn