loofah

[ loo-fuh ]

noun

1. Also called dish·cloth gourd [dish, -klawth gawrd],
   1. any of several tropical vines of the genus Luffa, of the gourd family, bearing large, elongated fruit.
   2. the fruit of such a vine.
2. Also called veg·e·ta·ble sponge [vej, -t, uh, -b, uh, l spuhnj]. the dried, fibrous interior of this fruit, used as a sponge.

loofah

/ ˈluːfə /

noun

1. the fibrous interior of the fruit of the dishcloth gourd, which is dried, bleached, and used as a bath sponge or for scrubbing
2. another name for dishcloth gourd

Word History and Origins

Origin of loofah¹

First recorded in 1860–65; from New Latin Luffa the genus, from Arabic lūf

Word History and Origins

Origin of loofah¹

C19: from New Latin luffa, from Arabic lūf

Example Sentences

My hair explodes out in a loofah of wild ringlets.

From Literature

Then I grab Lily’s loofah, pour soap over it until it’s good and foamy, and begin to scrub at my toes.

From Literature

“A lot of people reacted like it was quite an aggressive loofah shower of emotion. It was good for them, but it hurt!”

From New York Times

This is a natural exfoliating product that can help smooth your skin, Parthasarathy said, and is typically more helpful than a loofah.

From Washington Post

Vellabox's high-quality candles are a great, affordable gesture that come in an array of luxury and seasonal scents, along with hand lotion, a loofah, and other surprise gifts.

From The Verge