Where does “pumpkin” come from?
Pumpkin comes from Middle French pompon, derived from Ancient Greek πέπων meaning ripe or cooked fruit, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pekʷ- meaning to cook or ripen.
pumpkin (English): A domesticated plant, in species "Cucurbita...
Definitions
- A domesticated plant, in species "Cucurbita...
Ancestry of “pumpkin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pompion | Alternative form of pumpion |
| 2 | Middle French | pompon | melon; cucumber; decorative tassel |
| 3 | Latin | peponem | accusative singular of pepō |
| 4 | Latin | pepo | pumpkin, large melon |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πέπων | ripe, softened; good, sweet, kind; weak, cowardly |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pékʷeti | to be cooking; to ripen |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pekʷ- | to cook; to ripen |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃-ép-kʷ- | — |