Cucumbers are technically considered to be a fruit and they originate from the gourd family of plants, specifically Cucurbitacaea. Because the seed in their plants are enclosed, coupled with the fact that they develop from a flower, their classification falls under that of a fruit.

Cucumbers are usually prepared and eaten as vegetables though, which tends to be confusing for many people. Despite the fact that cucumbers are scientifically classified as a fruit, most people think of them as a vegetable because of how they are prepared. Cucumbers can be referred to as either fruits or vegetables, depending on the definition you want to go with.