Cucumis

/ˈkjuːkjuːmɪs/ noun

Definition

The genus of plants that includes cucumbers and melons, belonging to the gourd family.

Etymology

From Latin cucumis (cucumber), possibly from a Semitic source. The word entered Latin through trade routes and agriculture in the Mediterranean.

Kelly Says

The cucumber plant is over 3,000 years old and originated in India, yet we still call it by the Latin name that traveled from ancient Semitic languages through Greek and Roman traders.

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