gourd

[ gawrd, gohrd, goord ]

noun

1. the hard-shelled fruit of any of various plants, especially those of Lagenaria siceraria white-flowered gourd, or bottle gourd, whose dried shell is used for bowls and other utensils, and Cucurbita pepo yellow-flowered gourd, used ornamentally. Compare gourd family.
2. a plant bearing such a fruit.
3. a dried and excavated gourd shell used as a bottle, dipper, flask, etc.
4. a gourd-shaped, small-necked bottle or flask.

gourd

/ ɡʊəd /

noun

1. the fruit of any of various cucurbitaceous or similar plants, esp the bottle gourd and some squashes, whose dried shells are used for ornament, drinking cups, etc
2. any plant that bears this fruit See also sour gourd dishcloth gourd calabash
3. a bottle or flask made from the dried shell of the bottle gourd
4. a small bottle shaped like a gourd

Derived Forms

• ˈgourdˌlike, adjective
• ˈgourd-ˌshaped, adjective

Other Words From

• gourdlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gourd¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English gourd(e), courde, from Anglo-French ( Old French cöorde ), from Latin cucurbita

Word History and Origins

Origin of gourd¹

C14: from Old French gourde, ultimately from Latin cucurbita

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. out of / off one's gourd, Slang. out of one's mind; crazy.

Example Sentences

It’s turtlenecks and quality sweaters, buying decorative gourds for an evening dinner party and coupling up for cuffing season, if not longer term.

From Los Angeles Times

A beaver’s tail creates a rhythm on the deck and an opossum has a bass fashioned out of a gourd.

From Los Angeles Times

She was greener than a gourd, but she only swallowed hard.

From Literature

The bottle gourd, known scientifically as Lagenaria siceraria, is a plant deeply intertwined with human civilization.

From Science Daily

Still used today by West Africans, the instrument's main parts are a gourd, and a stick attachment and a bridge for its three to four strings, paralleling a modern banjo.

From Salon

Related Words

• beaker
• canteen
• carafe
• chalice
• decanter
• jug
• urn
• vial