cucumber

• cumber (colloquial)

From Middle English cucumer, cucumber, from Old French cocombre, ultimately from Latin cucumis, cucumerem (possibly through an Old Occitan intermediate). Probably of Pre-Italic substrate origin.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbər/

  • Audio (US):

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  • Homophone: Qcumber
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈkaʊˌkʌmbəɹ/^[1][2]
• (Indic) IPA^(key): /k(j)ʊˈkʊmbə(ɾ)/

cucumber (countable and uncountable, plural cucumbers)

1. A vine in the gourd family, Cucumis sativus.
   • 1767, A Lady [Hannah Glasse], The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Eaſy […] ‎^[1], page 326:

     ASPARAGUS, cauliflowers, imperial Sileſia, royal and cabbage lettuces, burnet, purſlain, cucumbers, naſturtian flowers, peaſe and beans ſown in October, artichokes, ſcarlet ſtrawberries, and kidney beans.

3. (vegetable) The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh.

   Synonyms: (informal) cuke, (colloquial) cumber

   • 1785, James Boswell, quoting Samuel Johnson, Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnſon […] ‎^[2], London: Henry Baldwin, page 356:

     […] for it has been a common ſaying of phyſicians in England, that a cucumber ſhould be well ſliced, and dreſſed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.

   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Publishing”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 14:

     "Why, pepper and salt your reasons!" cried Curl, forgetting to look at the door for a moment: "your pamphlet has talent; but talent is like a cucumber, nothing without the dressing. You must be more personal."

   • 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 71:

     Probably on account of its phallic formation, the cucumber is often assumed to have aphrodisiac qualities.

   • 2025 March 12, David Tanis, “Cucumber-Cabbage Salad With Sesame”, in The New York Times‎^[3], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 March 2025:

     To the bowl, add cucumber, cabbage and carrot.

4. (informal, figurative) A person who is calm and self-possessed.
   • 1986, Linking Technology and Users, pages 41 passage=Just a few tips will help even the most anxious of us get a bit of control over the presentation of information and thus appear to be that "cool cucumber" in cognito!:
   • 1999, Mark Grantham, The Brewery, page 275:

     The guy's a real cucumber.

   • 2002, Margaret Fisher, Putting on Mock Trials, page 29:

     That Wolf is one cool cucumber.

   • 2018, Derek B. Miller, American By Day, page 65:

     "You're smart," says Irv, pointing at her and nodding his head. "A smart cucumber."

• cucumiform (cucumber-shaped)

• cucumber on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

cucumber

1. alternative form of cucumer