I. ˈlemən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English lymon, from Middle French limon, from Medieval Latin limon-, limo, from Arabic laymūn
1.
a.
(1) : an acid fruit that is botanically a syncarpous polycarpellary many-seeded pale yellow berry of oblong form usually with a nipple at the apex and a yellow rind that contains the fragrant lemon oil and is often candied or preserved — compare lime VI
(2) : the stout thorny tree ( Citrus limon ) that bears this fruit — see citron
b. : any of numerous trees and shrubs of families other than Rutaceae having fruit similar to the lemon — used with a qualifying word
2.
a. : lemon yellow
b. : chlor
3. : something (as a float for a ring buoy) shaped like a lemon
4. : something or someone that proves to be unsatisfactory or undesirable : dud , failure
it is quite possible that one manufacturer … may find that he has created an all-around lemon — Atlantic Bulletin
being stuck with a lemon on the dance floor — William Irish
[s]lemon.jpg[/s] [
lemon 1: branch with fruit and flowers
]
II. adjective
1. : containing lemon : having the flavor or scent of lemon
lemon tea
lemon bitters
sipping a lemon drink
2. : of the color lemon yellow (sense 1)
the winter afternoons glowed with a hazy lemon light — Carson McCullers