/pump"kin/ or, commonly, /pung"kin/ , n.
1. a large, edible, orange-yellow fruit borne by a coarse, decumbent vine, Cucurbita pepo, of the gourd family.
2. the similar fruit of any of several related species, as C. maxima or C. moschata.
3. a plant bearing such fruit.
[ 1640-50; alter. of pumpion (see -KIN), var. of pompon popon melon, earlier pepon pepon- (s. of pepo ) pépon kind of melon ]