cucumber

== English == === Alternative forms === cuke, cumber (both colloquial) cowcumber (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English cucumer, cucumber, from Old French cocombre, ultimately from Latin cucumis, cucumerem (possibly through an Old Occitan intermediate). Probably of Pre-Italic substrate origin. First attested in the late 14c. Displaced native English earthapple (see which for more), which has since acquired other senses. === Pronunciation === (non-rhotic) (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbə/, [ˈkʰjʊu̯ˌkʰʌmbə] (Northern England, without the foot-strut split) IPA(key): /ˈkjuːˌkʊmbə/, [ˈkʰjʊu̯ˌkʰʊ̈mbə] (rhotic) (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkjuˌkʌmbɚ/, [ˈkʰjʊu̯ˌkʰʌ̈mbɚ] ~ [ˈkʰjʊu̯ˌkʰʌ̈mbɹ̩] (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈkjʉˌkʌmbəɹ/, [ˈkjʉˌkʌmbəɹ] (obsolete) IPA(key): /ˈkaʊˌkʌmbəɹ/, [ˈkʰaʊ̯ˌkʰʌmbəɹ] Rhymes: -ʌmbəɹ Hyphenation: cu‧cum‧ver Homophone: Qcumber === Noun === cucumber (countable and uncountable, plural cucumbers) A vine in the gourd family, Cucumis sativus. The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh. Synonyms: (informal) cuke, (colloquial) cumber (informal, figurative) A person who is calm and self-possessed. ==== Coordinate terms ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== cucumiform (cucumber-shaped) ==== Descendants ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === cucumber on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == Middle English == === Noun === cucumber alternative form of cucumer