[bethling]

My experience (at least in the US and UK) is the opposite. A pumpkin is a very particular (usually round and orange) type of squash. Squash is the generic term for most of the vegetables (both winter and summer variety) that are eaten.

I've really only seen "Pumpkin" used more commonly in Australia, where I was surprised to see someone refer to what I knew as a butternut squash as a pumpkin.

[crashingintoyou]

When you think of a pumpkin you'll likely envision a particular type of squash, but if you buy canned pumpkin or eat a randomly purchased "pumpkin" pie you're unlikely to be eating the type of squash that you envision.

As per https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/what-is-in-canned-pum... the company responsible for 85% of the world's canned "pumpkin" doesn't actually use the type of squash you're likely envisioning (and links the FDA docs allowing a variety of squash to be labeled as such: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidan...), and the type of squash you're likely envisioning having a fairly mediocre flavour relative to the alternatives.

In a sense I think you're both completely right and completely wrong in different ways.

[rob74]

I have to say I haven't spent a lot of time grocery shopping in English-speaking countries, so my impression is probably skewed by Halloween pumpkins...