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Glite Dictionary
Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbitaceae

9.9
A group of plants that includes cucumbers, melons, squashes and pumpkins
  • noun
  • /ˌkjuːkərˈbɪteɪʃiː/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia de las cucurbitáceas
  • Pumpkins, which belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, are often used for making pies during the fall season.
  • Cucurbitaceae family

Examples

  • Cucurbitacins are compounds found in the Cucurbitaceae family of plants that include cucumbers, squash, all gourd plants, watermelons, and cantaloupe.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Many studies have shown that pumpkin, belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, is a perennial plant and is consumed traditionally in a variety of foods such as fresh or cooked vegetables, as well as being stored frozen or canned.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Cucumbers are a popular member of the Cucurbitaceae family, known for their refreshing taste in salads.

  • The Cucurbitaceae family includes a variety of plants, such as melons and squashes, that thrive in warm climates.

Synonyms

gourd family
vsCucurbitaceae
  • Specialized
4.7

A group of plants like cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins that grow as vines

is the formal scientific name for that same plant family

Surface Forms

Cucurbitaceae singular
Cucurbitaceas plural
Cucurbitaceae plural

Morphology

Cucurbitaceae = cucurbit (opaque) = cucurbit + aceae

A technical botanical family name formed by adding the specialized suffix '-aceae' to the combining form 'cucurbit'; the taxonomic meaning is specialized and not transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Cucurbitaceae comes from the Latin word cucurbita, meaning 'gourd', and the ending -aceae, which marks a plant family. So Cucurbitaceae is the 'gourd' family, the group that includes cucumbers, pumpkins, melons and squashes.