paddymelon en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈpædiˌmelən/ (Australia)
- /ˈpædiˌmɛlən/ (US)
Etymology
Apparently from paddy + melon. In some forms after pademelon.
Meanings
-
(Australia) Any of various cucurbitaceous plants, especially Cucumis myriocarpus, native to Africa but naturalized in inland Australia.
Not even an occasional clod of earth stowed in the middle of a sack, or a few hefty paddy-melons, could make the toil profitable.
1941, Kylie Tennant, The Battlers:The road was a straight band of tarmac and, on either side, there were strips of red dirt with paddy-melon growing over them.
1987, Bruce Chatwin, The Songlines, Vintage, published 1998, page 76:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pademelon | alternative | lexicographic | |
| paddymelons | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| paddy-melon | alternative | lexicographic | |
| paddy melon | alternative | lexicographic |