muskmelon
muskmelon Lexical Profile
muskmelon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A round or oval melon with a heavily netted or ribbed skin and sweet, aromatic, orange flesh, widely cultivated for culinary consumption.
"We enjoyed chilled slices of fresh muskmelon with prosciutto for our summer appetizer."
The widely cultivated trailing vine (Cucumis melo) of the gourd family that bears this sweet fruit, originally native to Asia and the Middle East.
"The farmer planted several rows of muskmelon alongside the watermelons and summer squash."
Word Nuance & Usage
While botanically encompassing a broad species of melons (Cucumis melo) including honeydew, in everyday North American usage, 'muskmelon' is almost exclusively used as a synonym for the netted-rind cantaloupe.
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 16th century from 'musk' (noting the fruit's sweet, aromatic scent) and 'melon'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.