melone
/meˈlo.ne/masculine
The Italian word for melon is melone.
melone is a masculine noun used to refer to the fruit.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Which one should you use?
In Italy, melone refers specifically to large melons such as cantaloupe or honeydew. This is distinct from watermelon, which is called anguria or sometimes cocomero.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of melone is meloni.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /meˈlo.ne/.
Did you know?
- In Italian slang, calling someone a melone can mean they are naive or a bit of a fool.
- It is common in Italy to serve melone with prosciutto, a salty cured ham, creating a classic sweet and salty contrast.
- The word melone shares an ancient ancestor with the Greek word for 'apple', mēlo.
Examples in context
- Questa zucca odora di melone.This squash smells like melon.This sentence is useful for describing the scent of a squash using melone.Tatoeba #10473425 by Guybrush88, translation #4483909 by CK
- Desidero un pezzo di meloneI would like a piece of melon
- Melone gialloYellow melon
- Melone verdeGreen melon
- che tipo di melone è questo?What type of melon is this?
- Il melone è molto dolce.The melon is very sweet.
- Vuoi un pezzo di melone?Do you want a piece of melon?
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are having a snack in the kitchen.
- MatteoMartina, hai comprato il melone?Martina, did you buy the melon?
- MartinaSì, è in frigorifero.Yes, it is in the fridge.
- MatteoOttimo, tagliamone una fetta.Great, let's cut a slice.
- MartinaSì, è perfetto per questo caldo.Yes, it is perfect for this heat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “melon” translations and entries melone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries melone, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
