a cultivated variety of muskmelon, Cucumis melo cantalupensis, with ribbed warty rind and orange flesh
2.
any of several other muskmelons
Word origin
C18: from French, from Cantaluppi, former papal villa near Rome, where it was first cultivated in Europe
cantaloupe in American English
(ˈkæntəˌloʊp) or ˈcantaˌloup (ˈkæntəˌloʊp)
noun
any of various muskmelons; esp., a type of fruit with a hard, rough rind and sweet, juicy, orange-colored flesh, that grows on a variety of muskmelon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus)
Word origin
Fr < It cantalupo, after Cantalupo, former papal summer estate, near Rome, where the melon was first grown in Europe