pepo

noun

pe·​po ˈpē-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce pepo (audio)
plural pepos
: an indehiscent fleshy one-celled many-seeded berry (such as a pumpkin, squash, melon, or cucumber) that has a hard rind and is the characteristic fruit of the gourd family

Examples of pepo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Per Britannica, pumpkin is technically a type of berry called a pepo, which is a fruit that has a hard outer layer and no dividing chambers. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024 Cucurbita pepo, which may have been traced back to the Oaxaca region of Mexico as far back as 9,000 years ago, per Economic Botany. Zee Krstic and Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 23 June 2021 Technically, squash and pumpkin all belong to the same species, known as Cucurbita pepo, but while all pumpkins are squash, not all squash are pumpkins, said Judy Jernstedt, a plant sciences professor with the University of California, Davis. Robert McMillan, WSJ, 20 Nov. 2018 The big pumpkins, mini pumpkins, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, and ornamental gourds are all different cultivars of the same species: Cucurbita pepo, which originated in Mexico more than 10,000 years ago. Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 21 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pepo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, a melon — more at pumpkin

First Known Use

circa 1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pepo was circa 1849

Dictionary Entries Near pepo

Cite this Entry

“Pepo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pepo. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

pepo

noun
pe·​po ˈpē-pō How to pronounce pepo (audio)
: a fleshy many-seeded fruit (as a pumpkin, squash, melon, or cucumber) of the gourd family that has a hard rind and is technically classified as a berry
Etymology

Latin "a melon"

Medical Definition

pepo

noun
pe·​po ˈpē-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce pepo (audio)
plural pepos
: the dried ripe seeds of the pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) used as an anthelmintic and taeniafuge

called also pumpkin seed

More from Merriam-Webster on pepo

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