Lemony describes something that tastes, smells, or looks like a lemon. A glass of lemony lemonade has that sharp, tangy flavor that makes your mouth pucker slightly. A cleaning product might have a fresh, lemony scent that reminds you of citrus groves. When a cook adds lemony flavors to fish or chicken, they're usually using lemon juice or lemon zest to brighten up the dish.

The word captures that distinctive quality of lemons: bright, acidic, and refreshing. You might describe a yellow color as lemony if it has that particular pale, sunshiny shade. A vinaigrette dressing can taste pleasantly lemony without containing actual lemon if it has that same tart, zesty character from other ingredients.

People also use lemony to describe attitudes or tones that feel sharp or biting, similar to how lemon juice stings on a cut. If someone speaks in a lemony voice, they might sound tart or a bit sharp-tongued, though this meaning is less common than the taste and smell descriptions.