Watermelon Meaning
/ˈwɔːtəˌmɛlən/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA plant of the species Citrullus lanatus, bearing a melon-like fruit.
nounThe fruit of the watermelon plant, having a green rind and watery flesh that is typically bright red when ripe and contains black seeds.
Sentence Examples
Have you bought a watermelon?
I've never seen such a giant watermelon!
I never seen such a big watermelon before.
CEFR Practice Quiz
In summer, we cut open a large green ____ and ate the red sweet inside.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There is nothing more refreshing than a cold slice of ____ on a very hot and sunny summer afternoon today.
Word Origin & History
From the 1610s, a compound of water + melon. Compare French melon d'eau, German Wassermelone, and Spanish melón de agua. The meanings referring to environmentalists and behind-schedule projects derive from the idea of having a green (eco-friendly, on-schedule) outward appearance while being red (socialist, behind schedule) in a hidden way comparable to that of the fruit.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"According to this distorted view of life, environmentalists are watermelons – green on the outside, red on the inside – who want to impose regulation, “the slippery slope to socialism”, on the use of tobacco, ozone-destroying chemicals and greenhouse gases."
— 2010 August 7, Robin McKie, “Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M Conway”, in The Observer, →ISSN:
"The nuts and bolts of any project are transparency. If the project status is transparent, the watermelons can’t arise. If anybody is able to get the information, it will be difficult to hide something."
— 2011 August 8, Marc Löffler, “Watermelon Reporting”, in DZone, AnswerHub:
"As a PMO [project management officer], wherever I see watermelon reporting, I encourage the PM [project manager] to be brave and honest enough to ask for help."
— 2015 September 17, Ken Burrell, “Watch out for watermelons in project reports”, in LinkedIn:
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— 2021 April 24, Sumir Karayi, “Combatting the Watermelon Effect to Improve Digital Experience”, in CIO, IDG Communications, archived from the original on 05 Jun 2021:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
In summer, we cut open a large green ____ and ate the red sweet inside.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There is nothing more refreshing than a cold slice of ____ on a very hot and sunny summer afternoon today.