Pickle vs. Gherkin — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 1, 2023
A pickle is a preserved vegetable or fruit in brine or vinegar, while a gherkin specifically refers to a pickled cucumber, especially a small variety.
Difference Between Pickle and Gherkin
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Pickle, in its broadest sense, refers to any vegetable, fruit, or even protein that's been preserved in a solution of vinegar or brine. Gherkin, on the other hand, zeroes in on one particular type: the small cucumber that has been pickled.
The art of pickling extends to a myriad of food items, from onions to eggs. Gherkin doesn't enjoy such breadth; it's specific to cucumbers, particularly the smaller varieties suited for pickling.
While you can encounter a pickled carrot or a pickled beet, you wouldn't label them as gherkins. Only the pickled cucumber holds this unique title, distinguishing it from the wide world of pickled delights.
The term "pickle" in American English, particularly in everyday language, often defaults to meaning pickled cucumbers, which can lead to some overlap and confusion with gherkins. However, true gherkins are derived from specific cucumber species.
Cultural nuances shape these terms. In some regions, "pickle" might always imply a cucumber, but in broader culinary contexts, it encompasses a range of preserved foods. Gherkin, meanwhile, consistently pinpoints the small pickled cucumber.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Preserved vegetable/fruit in brine or vinegar.
Specifically a pickled cucumber.
Variety
Can be any food item like onions, beets, etc.
Always a cucumber, especially small varieties.
Common Usage
Refers broadly to pickled items.
Refers specifically to pickled cucumbers.
Cultural Interpretation
Can imply cucumber in American everyday language.
Consistently means a pickled cucumber.
Size
Can be of any size, depending on the item.
Typically small.
Compare with Definitions
Pickle
A vegetable or fruit preserved in vinegar or brine.
She added a pickle to her sandwich for extra crunch.
Gherkin
A small cucumber pickled whole.
She garnished her salad with gherkins for a tangy twist.
Pickle
A relish consisting of vegetables or fruit preserved in vinegar or brine
Cheese and pickle
Assorted pickles
Gherkin
A variety of cucumber suitable for pickling.
The farmer planted gherkins this season for pickling.
Pickle
A difficult situation
I am in a pickle
Gherkin
A young, undeveloped fruit of a cucumber used for pickling.
Gherkins are harvested while still young.
Pickle
Used as an affectionate form of address to a mischievous child
‘All right, me pickle’, said Dad
Gherkin
The fruit of a specific cucumber species, when pickled.
She preferred the crunch of a gherkin over a regular pickle.
Pickle
An acid solution for cleaning metal objects.
Gherkin
The small green fruit of a plant related to the cucumber, used for pickling.
Pickle
Preserve (food or other perishable items) in vinegar or brine
Fish pickled in brine
Gherkin
The trailing plant that bears gherkins.
Pickle
Immerse (a metal object) in an acid or other chemical solution for cleaning
The steel sheet is first pickled in acid to remove all oxides
Gherkin
A small cucumber, especially one used for pickling.
Pickle
An edible product, such as a cucumber, that has been preserved and flavored in a solution of brine or vinegar.
Gherkin
A pickle made from such a fruit.
Pickle
A solution of brine or vinegar, often spiced, for preserving and flavoring food.
Gherkin
A vine (Cucumis anguria) native to Africa and widely cultivated especially in the West Indies, having prickly fruit often harvested when immature for pickling.
Pickle
A chemical solution, such as an acid, that is used as a bath to remove scale and oxides from the surface of metals before plating or finishing.
Gherkin
The fruit of this plant.
Pickle
(Informal) A disagreeable or troublesome situation; a plight.
Gherkin
A small cucumber, often pickled whole.
Pickle
(Baseball) A rundown.
Gherkin
(slang) The penis.
Pickle
To preserve or flavor (food) in a solution of brine or vinegar.
Gherkin
A kind of small, prickly cucumber, much used for pickles.
Pickle
To treat (metal) in a chemical bath.
Gherkin
See Sea gherkin.
Pickle
A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.
A pickle goes well with a hamburger.
Gherkin
Any of various small cucumbers pickled whole
Pickle
Any vegetable preserved in vinegar and consumed as relish.
Gherkin
Small prickly cucumber
Pickle
A sweet, vinegary pickled chutney popular in Britain.
Gherkin
A term especially used in British English for pickled cucumbers.
He asked for extra gherkins in his burger.
Pickle
The brine used for preserving food.
This tub is filled with the pickle that we will put the small cucumbers into.
Pickle
(informal) A difficult situation; peril.
The climber found himself in a pickle when one of the rocks broke off.
Pickle
(affectionate) A mildly mischievous loved one.
Pickle
(baseball) A rundown.
Jones was caught in a pickle between second and third.
Pickle
(uncountable) A children’s game with three participants that emulates a baseball rundown
The boys played pickle in the front yard for an hour.
Pickle
(slang) A penis.
Pickle
(slang) A pipe for smoking methamphetamine.
Load some shards in that pickle.
Pickle
(metalworking) A bath of dilute sulphuric or nitric acid, etc., to remove burnt sand, scale, rust, etc., from the surface of castings, or other articles of metal, or to brighten them or improve their colour.
Pickle
In an optical landing system, the hand-held controller connected to the lens, or apparatus on which the lights are mounted.
Pickle
A kernel; a grain (of salt, sugar, etc.)
Pickle
A small or indefinite quantity or amount (of something); a little, a bit, a few. Usually in partitive construction, frequently without "of"; a single grain or kernel of wheat, barley, oats, sand or dust.
Pickle
To preserve food (or sometimes other things) in a salt, sugar or vinegar solution.
We pickled the remainder of the crop.
These cucumbers pickle very well.
Pickle
(transitive) To remove high-temperature scale and oxidation from metal with heated (often sulphuric) industrial acid.
The crew will pickle the fittings in the morning.
Pickle
To serialize.
Pickle
(historical) To pour brine over a person after flogging them, as a method of punishment.
Pickle
To eat sparingly.
Pickle
To pilfer.
Pickle
See Picle.
Pickle
A solution of salt and water, in which fish, meat, etc., may be preserved or corned; brine.
Pickle
Any article of food which has been preserved in brine or in vinegar.
Pickle
A bath of dilute sulphuric or nitric acid, etc., to remove burnt sand, scale rust, etc., from the surface of castings, or other articles of metal, or to brighten them or improve their color.
Pickle
A troublesome child; as, a little pickle.
Pickle
To preserve or season in pickle; to treat with some kind of pickle; as, to pickle herrings or cucumbers.
Pickle
To give an antique appearance to; - said of copies or imitations of paintings by the old masters.
Pickle
Vegetables (especially cucumbers) preserved in brine or vinegar
Pickle
Informal terms for a difficult situation;
He got into a terrible fix
He made a muddle of his marriage
Pickle
Preserve in a pickling liquid
Pickle
A difficult situation.
He found himself in a pickle when he missed his flight.
Pickle
A solution of salt and water used for preserving.
The vegetables were soaked in pickle before canning.
Pickle
To preserve food in vinegar or brine.
She decided to pickle the leftover onions.
Pickle
The act of preserving food in a seasoned brine or vinegar mixture.
Pickle is a common method to increase shelf life.
Common Curiosities
Can a pickled carrot be called a gherkin?
No, gherkin is specific to pickled cucumbers.
In the US, what does the term "pickle" usually mean?
In everyday American English, "pickle" often means a pickled cucumber.
What does Gherkin specifically refer to?
Gherkin refers to a small variety of pickled cucumber.
Are gherkins always small?
Typically, gherkins refer to small varieties of pickled cucumbers.
Can "pickle" also be a verb?
Yes, "to pickle" means to preserve food in brine or vinegar.
What's the main brine component in pickles?
The main components are usually vinegar, salt, and water.
Are gherkins a type of pickle?
Yes, gherkins are a specific type of pickle.
What's a basic definition of a pickle?
A pickle is any vegetable or fruit preserved in brine or vinegar.
Is there a difference between pickling and making gherkins?
Pickling is a preservation method, while making gherkins refers to pickling specific cucumbers.
Are all pickled cucumbers gherkins?
No, only specific small varieties of pickled cucumbers are gherkins.
Are gherkins sweeter than regular pickles?
Gherkins can be sweet or dill, depending on the pickling process used.
Can "pickle" refer to a challenging situation?
Yes, "in a pickle" is an idiomatic expression meaning in a tricky situation.
Can you pickle meats and proteins?
Yes, various cultures pickle meats, fish, and eggs.
Do gherkins come from a specific species of cucumber?
Yes, gherkins are often from specific cucumber species suited for pickling.
What does "gherkin" mean in British English?
In British English, "gherkin" commonly refers to pickled cucumbers.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
