gherkin en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈɡɜːkɪn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈɡɝkɪn/ (General-American)
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From a form of Dutch gurk, an archaic variant of augurk (“small pickled cucumber”), from Low German, from Middle Low German agurke, augurke, probably via Slavic (compare Polish ogórek), from Byzantine Greek ἀγγούριον (angoúrion, “cucumber”). The underlying Dutch form may be a diminutive (gurkijn) or perhaps more probably the plural (gurken), which was then associated with the English suffix -kin (itself incidentally from Dutch or Low German). Compare German Gurke.
Meanings
- A small cucumber, often pickled whole.
- (Ireland, UK) Pickled cucumber regardless of size; a pickle
-
(slang) The penis.
His gherkin was doing the tent dance, and he couldn't have been prouder.
2011, James Herbert Edwards, The Guardian Projects: Book Two, page 241:“Even my gherkin is sorry, and it didn't talk shit about anybody," persists Adrian. The edge of Titus's mouth quivers in laughter.
2008, E. Lockhart, Fly on the Wall:“Yes, daddy,” I moaned, lying big-time as his finger played in my sudsy pussy. “Say please,” he ordered, taking my hand to circle around his gherkin.
2010, Niobia Bryant, Live and Learn:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gherkins | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| gerkin | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
jerkin the gherkin · burr gherkin · sea gherkin · jerk the gherkin · West Indian gherkin
Translations (38)
es pepinillo (small cucumber) · sv liten inläggningsgurka (small cucumber) · uk корнішо́н (small cucumber) · gl cogombro novo (small cucumber) · ja ガーキン (small cucumber) · fr cornichon (small cucumber) · pl ogórek konserwowy (small cucumber) · el αγγουράκι (small cucumber) · sv saltgurka (small cucumber) · mi kamoriki (small cucumber) · de Gürkchen (small cucumber) · hu csemegeuborka (small cucumber) · ca cogombret (small cucumber) · bg корнишо́н (small cucumber) · ka კორნიშონი (small cucumber) · ka ნეკა კიტრი (small cucumber) · nrf cornichon (small cucumber) · cmn 小黃瓜 /小黄瓜 (small cucumber) · is smágúrka (small cucumber) · pl korniszon (small cucumber) · mt ħjara żgħira (small cucumber) · de Salzgurke (small cucumber) · de Gewürzgurke (small cucumber) · sv ättiksgurka (small cucumber) · mk кисела краставичка (small cucumber) · pt pepino em conserva (small cucumber) · fi pikkelsikurkku (small cucumber) · it cetriolino (small cucumber) · nl augurk (small cucumber) · tr kornişon (small cucumber) · ru огу́рчик (small cucumber) · fi cocktailkurkku (small cucumber) · ro cornișon (small cucumber) · ru корнишо́н (small cucumber) · cy gercyn (small cucumber) · da asie (small cucumber) · sl kumarica (small cucumber) · mk корнишо́н (small cucumber)