lemon

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun yellow oval fruit with juicy acidic flesh
  2. noun a strong yellow color
  3. noun a small evergreen tree that originated in Asia but is widely cultivated for its fruit

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English lymon, from Old French lymon (“citrus”), from Arabic لَيْمُون (laymūn) or Persian لیمون (limon), from Persian لیمو (limu), from Sanskrit निम्बू (nimbū, “lime”), ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *limaw or Munda. Doublet of lime. The fandom sense is named after the erotic anime series Cream Lemon.

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