noun
a dicot genus of the family Cucurbitaceae including watermelons
• Syn: ↑genus Citrullus
• Hypernyms: ↑dicot genus, ↑magnoliopsid genus
• Member Holonyms: ↑Cucurbitaceae, ↑family Cucurbitaceae, ↑gourd family
• Member Meronyms: ↑watermelon, ↑watermelon vine, ↑Citrullus vulgaris
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\\-_ləs\ nounUsage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Medieval Latin citrullus, citrolus, a kind of cucumber, from (assumed) Old Italian dialect citrulo (Italian cetriolo), from (assumed) Vulgar Latin citriolum, from Late Latin citrium, a kind of cucumber, from Latin, citron, from citrus
: a genus of African plants (family Cucurbitaceae) having pinnatifid leaves, small sepals, solitary staminate flowers, a corolla 5-parted to the base, and fleshy succulent fruits and including the widely cultivated watermelon and the colocynth
Useful english dictionary. 2012.