gourd

American  

[gawrd, gohrd, goord] / gɔrd, goʊrd, gʊərd /

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.

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.

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idioms

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

gourd British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• gourd-shaped adjective
• gourdlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of gourd

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

Explanation

A gourd is a squash-like plant with a hard, colorful skin. You'll often find gourds decorating the table at Thanksgiving. You can think of gourds as decorative fruit — like a squash, a gourd's not a vegetable, strictly speaking, but unlike squash, most gourds aren't much good for eating. In fact, the word is often used for the dried, hollowed skin of a gourd, which has been used for centuries as a container, musical instrument, scoop, or drinking vessel. If someone says, "You're out of your gourd!" they mean you've lost your senses.

Example Sentences

The gourd was used as a buoyancy aid and a place to put the catch.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

Plants in the gourd family, including pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini, are known for accumulating high levels of pollutants in their fruit.

From Science Daily • Oct. 30, 2025

While she prefers traditional orange, Torres isn’t afraid of a more ghostly gourd.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

Body-cam footage released by the Parma Heights Police Department shows one bemused officer describing how the gourd just “took off” as he tried to grab it.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2025

He drank from the gourd and poured a little water on his hands to splash on his sweaty face.

From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park

Related Words

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