Pumpkins

/ˈpʌmpkɪnz/ noun

Definition

Large, round, orange vegetables that grow on vines and are often used for Halloween decorations or pie filling.

Etymology

From French 'pompon,' which came from Latin 'pepo' and Greek 'pepōn,' meaning 'ripe melon.' The word traveled through multiple languages as the plant itself traveled across continents, with English speakers modifying it to 'pumpkin' by the 1600s.

Kelly Says

Pumpkins are actually berries—botanically speaking, they're giant squash berries with a rind that hardens as they ripen. The heaviest pumpkin ever grown weighed 2,685 pounds, and pumpkin spice became such a cultural phenomenon that it's now added to everything from beer to deodorant, even though most 'pumpkin spice' flavoring contains zero actual pumpkin.

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