Lime vs. Lemon — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 22, 2023
Lime is a green, smaller, and more acidic citrus fruit, while lemon is a larger, yellow citrus fruit with a sour, tangy flavor.
Difference Between Lime and Lemon
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Lime and lemon are both citrus fruits but differ in size, color, and flavor. Limes are typically smaller and green, providing a tart, more acidic taste. They are often used in cooking, baking, and cocktail-making to add a zesty flavor. Lemons, on the other hand, are yellow and larger, offering a sour, tangy flavor. They are versatile and used in various culinary applications, from seasoning to making lemonade.
Lime and lemon both have high vitamin C content but in varying amounts. The presence of this vitamin makes them excellent for boosting the immune system. Limes are commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, while lemons are cultivated in temperate and tropical climates, with many varieties available worldwide.
Lime and lemon are available in many varieties, each having its unique taste and usage. Some common types of limes are Key limes and Persian limes, while Eureka and Meyer are popular lemon varieties. These varieties are utilized differently in cooking and baking due to their distinct flavors and acidity levels.
Regarding nutritional value, lime and lemon are quite similar, both being low in calories and rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C. However, the specific nutritional content can vary depending on the exact type of lime or lemon.
In culinary applications, lime and lemon are interchangeably used sometimes, but their distinct flavors can bring out different nuances in dishes. Their juice and zest are used to enhance the flavors of various recipes, from savory to sweet, and their acidity can act as a natural preservative.
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Comparison Chart
Color
Green
Yellow
Size
Smaller
Larger
Flavor
Tart, more acidic
Sour, tangy
Varieties
Key lime, Persian lime
Eureka lemon, Meyer lemon
Usage
Cocktails, cooking, baking
Seasoning, lemonade, baking
Compare with Definitions
Lime
Lime is a green, small citrus fruit.
Add a slice of lime to your drink for a tangy flavor.
Lemon
Lemon is a term used to describe a defective or inadequate item.
I bought a used car, and it turned out to be a lemon.
Lime
Lime is a calcium-containing inorganic material used in building.
Mix lime with water to make a paste for whitewashing walls.
Lemon
Lemon is used to denote a bright yellow color.
The walls were painted in a refreshing lemon hue.
Lime
Lime is a white crystalline oxide used in the making of glass.
Lime is combined with sand and soda to create glass.
Lemon
Lemon is a yellow citrus fruit known for its sour taste.
I like to add a squeeze of lemon to my tea.
Lime
Lime is a small tree that produces lime fruit.
A lime tree can be a great addition to your backyard.
Lemon
Lemon is used metaphorically to denote something that is undesirable.
Getting a parking ticket was just the lemon on top of a bad day.
Lime
Lime is used as a term for a bright green color.
She wore a dress in a vibrant lime shade.
Lemon
The lemon (Citrus limon) is a species of small evergreen tree in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to South Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam). The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses.
Lime
A white caustic alkaline substance consisting of calcium oxide, which is obtained by heating limestone and which combines with water with the production of much heat; quicklime.
Lemon
A spiny evergreen tree (Citrus limon) native to Asia, widely cultivated for its oval yellow fruit.
Lime
Birdlime.
Lemon
The fruit of this tree, having an aromatic rind and juicy, acid pulp.
Lime
A rounded citrus fruit similar to a lemon but greener, smaller, and with a distinctive acid flavour
Wedges of lime
Lime juice
Roughly chop two limes
Lemon
Lemon yellow.
Lime
The evergreen citrus tree which produces limes, widely cultivated in warm climates.
Lemon
(Informal) One that is unsatisfactory or defective
Their new car turned out to be a lemon.
Lime
A bright light green colour like that of a lime
A lime-green bikini
Lemon
Lemon-yellow.
Lime
A deciduous tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant yellowish blossom, native to north temperate regions. The pale timber is used for carving and inexpensive furniture.
Lemon
Made from lemons.
Lime
An informal social gathering characterized by semi-ritualized talking.
Lemon
Tasting or smelling like lemons.
Lime
Treat (soil or water) with lime to reduce acidity and improve fertility or oxygen levels
They were liming acidified lakes
Lemon
A yellowish citrus fruit.
Lime
Catch (a bird) with birdlime
The bird that hath been limed in a bush
Lemon
A semitropical evergreen tree, Citrus limon, that bears such fruits.
Lime
Sit or stand around talking with others
Boys and girls were liming along the roadside as if they didn't have anything to do
Lemon
A taste or flavour/flavor of lemons.
Lime
Any of several evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Citrus having edible green or greenish-yellow fruit, especially the Mexican lime and the Persian lime.
Lemon
A more or less bright shade of yellow associated with lemon fruits.
Lime
The fruit of any of these plants, having a pulpy interior and usually acid juice.
Lemon
(slang) A defective or inadequate item or individual.
He didn’t realise until he’d paid for it that the car was a lemon.
Lime
See linden.
Lemon
Favor.
A thousand quid for that motor? Do me a lemon! I could get it for half that.
Lime
See calcium oxide.
Lemon
(fandom) A piece of fanfiction involving explicit sex.
Lime
Any of various mineral and industrial forms of calcium oxide differing chiefly in water content and percentage of constituents such as magnesia, silica, alumina, and iron.
Lemon
Containing or having the flavour/flavor and/or scent of lemons.
Lime
Birdlime.
Lemon
Of the pale yellow colour/color of lemons.
Lime
To treat with lime.
Lemon
Smart; cheeky, vocal.
Lime
To smear with birdlime.
Lemon
(transitive) To flavour with lemon.
You can start the vegetables cooking while you are lemoning the fish.
Lime
To catch or snare with or as if with birdlime.
Lemon
An oval or roundish fruit resembling the orange, and containing a pulp usually intensely acid. It is produced by a tropical tree of the genus Citrus, the common fruit known in commerce being that of the species Citrus Limonum or Citrus Medica (var. Limonum). There are many varieties of the fruit, some of which are sweet.
Lime
(chemistry) Any inorganic material containing calcium, usually calcium oxide (quicklime) or calcium hydroxide (slaked lime).
Lemon
The tree which bears lemons; the lemon tree.
Lime
(poetic) Any gluey or adhesive substance; something which traps or captures someone; sometimes a synonym for birdlime.
Lemon
Yellow oval fruit with juicy acidic flesh
Lime
(theatre) A spotlight.
Lemon
A strong yellow color
Lime
A deciduous tree of the genus Tilia, especially Tilia × europaea; the linden tree.
Lemon
A small evergreen tree that originated in Asia but is widely cultivated for its fruit
Lime
The wood of this tree.
Lemon
A distinctive tart flavor characteristic of lemons
Lime
Any of several green citrus fruit, somewhat smaller and sharper-tasting than a lemon.
Lemon
An artifact (especially an automobile) that is defective or unsatisfactory
Lime
Any of the trees that bear limes, especially Key lime, Citrus aurantiifolia.
Lemon
Lemon is a tree that produces lemon fruits.
The lemon tree in our yard is full of ripe fruits.
Lime
(uncountable) A brilliant, sometimes yellowish, green colour associated with the fruits of a lime tree.
Lime
(fandom) A fan fiction story which contains sexual references, but stops short of full, explicit descriptions of sexual activity (coined by analogy with lemon).
Lime
A casual gathering to socialize.
Lime
(transitive) To treat with calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide (lime).
Lime
(transitive) To smear with birdlime.
Lime
(rare) To ensnare, catch, entrap.
Lime
(transitive) To apply limewash.
Lime
To hang out/socialize in an informal, relaxed environment, especially with friends, for example at a party or on the beach.
Lime
Containing lime or lime juice.
Lime
Having the aroma or flavor of lime.
Lime
Lime-green.
Lime
A thong by which a dog is led; a leash.
Lime
The linden tree. See Linden.
Lime
The fruit of the Citrus aurantifolia, allied to the lemon, but greener in color; also, the tree which bears it.
Lime
The color of the lime{1}, a yellowish-green.
Lime
Birdlime.
Like the limeThat foolish birds are caught with.
Lime
Oxide of calcium, CaO; the white or gray, caustic substance, usually called quicklime, obtained by calcining limestone or shells, the heat driving off carbon dioxide and leaving lime. It develops great heat when treated with water, forming slaked lime, and is an essential ingredient of cement, plastering, mortar, etc.
Lime
To smear with a viscous substance, as birdlime.
These twigs, in time, will come to be limed.
Lime
To entangle; to insnare.
We had limed ourselvesWith open eyes, and we must take the chance.
Lime
To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime; as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them; to lime the lawn to decrease acidity of the soil.
Land may be improved by draining, marling, and liming.
Lime
To cement.
Lime
Having a yellowish-green color like that of the lime (the fruit).
Lime
A caustic substance produced by heating limestone
Lime
A white crystalline oxide used in the production of calcium hydroxide
Lime
A sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to capture small birds
Lime
Any of various related trees bearing limes
Lime
Any of various deciduous trees of the genus Tilia with heart-shaped leaves and drooping cymose clusters of yellowish often fragrant flowers; several yield valuable timber
Lime
The green acidic fruit of any of various lime trees
Lime
Spread birdlime on branches to catch birds
Lime
Cover with lime so as to induce growth;
Lime the lawn
Common Curiosities
Are lime and lemon rich in vitamin C?
Yes, both lime and lemon are rich sources of vitamin C.
Can I use lime as a substitute for lemon in recipes?
Yes, but be mindful of the difference in acidity and flavor.
Are lime and lemon trees easy to grow?
With proper care, both lime and lemon trees can be grown relatively easily.
Which is more acidic, lime or lemon?
Lime is generally more acidic than lemon.
Can lime and lemon prevent scurvy?
Yes, due to their high vitamin C content, they can prevent scurvy.
Do lime and lemon have the same culinary uses?
They have similar uses but bring different flavors to dishes.
Can I use lemon juice instead of lime in cocktails?
Yes, but it will alter the drink’s flavor profile.
Can you use lime and lemon on the skin?
Yes, but be cautious as their acidity can irritate some skin types.
Are lime and lemon used in cleaning products?
Yes, they are used due to their acidity and fresh scent.
Are there different varieties of lime and lemon available?
Yes, both lime and lemon have various varieties with different flavors.
Do lime and lemon have antibacterial properties?
Yes, both have been found to possess antibacterial properties.
Can I freeze lime and lemon juice for later use?
Yes, freezing is a good way to preserve their juice.
Is the nutritional content of lime and lemon similar?
Yes, they are similar, but specific content may vary.
Can consumption of lime and lemon aid digestion?
Yes, their acidity can help in digestion.
Is the zest of lime and lemon edible?
Yes, the zest is edible and used for flavoring in cooking and baking.
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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.
