cantaloupe

or can·ta·loup

[ kan-tl-ohp ]

noun

1. a variety of melon, Cucumis melo cantalupensis, of the gourd family, having a hard scaly or warty rind, grown in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
2. a muskmelon having a reticulated rind and pale-orange flesh.

cantaloupe

/ ˈkæntəˌluːp /

noun

1. a cultivated variety of muskmelon, Cucumis melo cantalupensis, with ribbed warty rind and orange flesh
2. any of several other muskmelons

Word History and Origins

Origin of cantaloupe¹

First recorded in 1730–40; from French, allegedly after Cantaluppi, a papal estate near Rome where cultivation of this melon is said to have begun in Europe, though a comparable Italian word is not attested until much later than the French word, and Cantaloup, a village in Languedoc, has also been proposed as the source

Word History and Origins

Origin of cantaloupe¹

C18: from French, from Cantaluppi, former papal villa near Rome, where it was first cultivated in Europe

Example Sentences

But the relationships either fade or split open like cantaloupe dropped on hot pavement.

From Los Angeles Times

Cantaloupe and honeydew are both delicious, I am not casting shade on either, but there is nothing finer — or more hydrating, or more delicious — than watermelon.

From Salon

But the relationships either fade or split open like cantaloupe dropped on hot pavement.

From Los Angeles Times

This shows plenty of nutty character on the palate, with green herbs and shades of cantaloupe.

From Seattle Times

In the early 1960s, Michoacano cantaloupe farmers acquired lands to expand their production by growing avocados.

From Salon

Related Words

• melon