A melon is a large, juicy fruit with a thick rind and sweet, watery flesh, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew. Melons usually grow on vines in warm climates.
From Old French “melon”, from Late Latin “melo”, short for “melopepo”, from Greek “mēlopepōn” meaning 'apple‑gourd', combining “mēlon” 'apple' and “pepōn” 'ripe gourd'. The name reflects how the fruit was seen as a cross between familiar fruits and gourds. It entered English in the Middle Ages with imported varieties.
The Greeks basically called it an 'apple‑gourd', because they were stretching old words to cover a new fruit. Watermelons are more than 90% water, so when you bite one on a hot day, you’re almost drinking disguised as chewing.
In some slang registers, 'melons' has been used as a sexualizing term for women’s breasts, reflecting objectification and body-focused humor.
Avoid using 'melon(s)' as a term for body parts; keep usage literal for the fruit or clearly non-sexual contexts.
["breasts (clinical)","chest"]
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