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lemon

lemon

38 1.0
A tart citrus taste used in food and drinks
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛmən/
: sabor a limón
  • The cake has a refreshing lemon flavor that makes it perfect for summer.

I'm a big fan of lemon but this seems weird.

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Examples

  • Why are you eyeing my lemon drink?

  • But as the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

  • Well maybe it could use a little lemon.

  • I make it myself, with a lemon twist.

  • You want a hybrid between a lemon and an orange.

  • It's got lemon, and, um, cilantro, right?

  • Well, I distinctly taste lemon.

  • The first thing I noticed was the familiar cloying smell of lemon furniture polish.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • And I didn't wanna be rude because, typically I don't like lemon-flavored things.

  • Meanwhile, Mr. Grimes keeps the old adage in mind: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

    Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

tartness
vslemon
2 3.7

A sharp, sour taste often in fruits

is a specific bright citrus sourness rather than general fruit acidity
tanginess
vslemon
1 4.2

A sharp, pleasantly sour taste like lemon, often with a little spice

is a direct citrus sourness rather than a spicy complex sharpness

Idioms

to suck a lemon
  • Informal
1 9.9

To accept and deal with an unpleasant situation without complaining

like a lemon
  • Informal
1 9.4

Standing or sitting without joining others and feeling awkward

To stay still and feel awkward when you should do something

Trick someone so they end up worse off

Compounds

44 1.0

The liquid you get from lemons used in cooking, drinks, and cleaning

9 3.0

A thin bright outer layer of a lemon peel that people grate to add flavor

6 1.0

A small evergreen tree that grows yellow sour fruit used in cooking

Liquid squeezed from fresh lemons that is used in cooking or drinks

A sweet dessert with lemon filling and soft meringue on top

4 1.0

Yellow outer skin of a lemon that you grate or cut for cooking

3 2.5

A thick sweet spread made from lemons, butter, eggs, and sugar for cakes and toast

3 2.5

A bright yellow like the outside of a lemon

3 1.3

A small hard candy with lemon flavor, usually yellow and shaped like a lemon

lemon law
  • Formal
3 4.2

A law that helps buyers get a refund or replacement for vehicles that keep breaking

2 2.6

The outer skin of a lemon that you use to add flavor when cooking

Having the smell of lemon

2 3.4

A small rounder, sweeter lemon with thin skin or the tree that grows it

2 5.6

A large yellowish-brown shark that lives in shallow water near the coast and often swims in groups

2 3.0

A tall tropical grass with a strong lemon smell used in cooking and tea

2 2.7

A yellow oil from lemon peels that gives a fresh smell or light lemon taste

1 2.7

An area of land where people grow lemon trees for fruit

1 2.9

A sauce of browned butter with lemon juice and parsley for fish or vegetables

1 3.4

A fizzy drink with a tart, slightly bitter lemon taste

1 3.0

A herb with lemon-scented leaves used in cooking and teas

A small amount of liquid that gives lemon flavor to food or drink

1 4.2

A sweet thick spread for toast or cake made from lemons, butter, eggs, and sugar

1 5.7

A flat fish with delicate flesh found in European and North Atlantic waters

1 2.9

A small plant with leaves that smell of lemon that people use to flavor tea and drinks

A garden plant with leaves that smell like lemon

1 3.4

A lemon tree and its fruit that have a mild, sweet taste and can be eaten fresh

lemon-scented gum
  • Australian
1 8.8

A tall Australian tree with smooth bark and a strong lemon smell from its leaves

1 7.0

A plant with yellow flowers that smell sweet and bloom in spring

1 8.9

A yellow tropical fruit with juicy sweet pulp like passion fruit

Thin strips of lemon skin cooked in sugar and used to decorate desserts

lemon heaven
  • Informal
4.9

A very tasty lemon dessert for people who love lemons

5.4

A pale brown flat fish found along the Pacific coast of North America and eaten as food

lemon-wood tree
  • South African
8.3

An evergreen tree from South Africa with tough wood used for furniture

lemon-wood
  • South African
9.3

An evergreen tree from South Africa with very hard wood used for furniture

8.1

A small tree or shrub with leaves made of three parts, thin yellow-green flower clusters, and red hairy fruit

An annual herb with lemon-scented leaves and bright flowers

A tropical vine with thin divided leaves that smells strong when you crush its stems

How Sweet

peach
176 1.0
cherry plum
1 4.8
lemon
38 1.0
cranberry
91 1.4

Surface Forms

lemon singular
lemons plural

Etymology

Lemon flavor means 'sour' because the word is the name of the fruit, from Arabic laymūn, so saying something tastes of lemon tells you it is bright and tart like the fruit.