cucumber

IPA/ˈkjuːkʌmbə(r)/
KK[kjˈukəmbɚ]IPA/ˈkjuːkʌmbər/

cucumber — noun

  • cucumbersingular
  • cucumbersplural

1. A long, green vegetable from the melon family, with thin green peel and crunchy,

1.nounA2
Definition

A long, green vegetable from the melon family, with thin green peel and crunchy, pale-coloured flesh. It is usually served fresh rather than cooked — for example, sliced in salads, layered in sandwiches, or cut into sticks for dipping.

Example

Quinn sliced a fresh cucumber and added it to the salad bowl.

cucumber as a direct object of slicing

The cucumbers from Grandma's garden tasted much better than the ones from the supermarket.

comparative: garden vs. store-bought cucumber

Common collocations
  • cucumber salad
  • cucumber sandwich
  • cucumber slices
  • cucumber water
  • fresh cucumber
  • sliced cucumber
Synonyms
  • gherkin

    specifically a small cucumber variety used for pickling, not the same as a fresh salad cucumber

  • zucchini

    a different vegetable (courgette) that is similarly shaped but green inside and usually cooked; not interchangeable with cucumber

Grammar Patterns

cucumber [noun]

[adjective] cucumber

Usage Note

In British English, the long green vegetable described here is the standard cucumber. In American English, a pickled cucumber is typically called a 'pickle' rather than a cucumber.

Common Mistakes

I bought a cucumber and some pickles at the store.' (when the pickles are pickled cucumbers)
I bought a cucumber and some pickled cucumbers at the store.
pickles are cucumbers that have been preserved in vinegar, not a different vegetable.
Idioms

cool as a cucumber

idiom

very calm and relaxed, especially in a situation where other people would feel worried, nervous, or stressed.

While everyone else rushed around in a panic, Faisal stayed cool as a cucumber and fixed the broken pipe.

(as) cool as a cucumber

idiom

Extremely calm and relaxed, especially when facing problems or stress.

Maya stayed as cool as a cucumber during the final exam.

Even when the fire alarm rang, Diego was cool as a cucumber.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Cucumber refers to the fresh, long green vegetable eaten raw in salads and sandwiches. Gherkin is a small cucumber variety, usually pickled in vinegar or brine — much smaller and bumpier than a standard cucumber. Zucchini (called courgette in British English) looks similar in shape but is eaten cooked, has a different texture, and belongs to a different species. Pickle in American English can mean any pickled cucumber, which may be a gherkin (sweet pickles) or a dill pickle (larger, made from regular cucumbers). In British English, 'pickle' more often refers to a spread like Branston pickle. So if you order 'pickles' on a burger in the US, you get cucumber slices preserved in brine; in the UK, the same topping is called 'gherkins' or 'pickled cucumbers.'

cucumber ↗gherkin ↗zucchini ↗pickle ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • sliced cucumber
  • fresh cucumber
  • cucumber and tomato salad

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'cucumber' comes from Latin 'cucumis' (meaning cucumber), which travelled through Old French 'cocombre' into Middle English 'cucumber'. The plant was first cultivated in India over 3,000 years ago and spread to Europe through ancient trade routes.