loofah

American  

[loo-fuh] / ˈlu fə /

Also loofa,

noun

loofahs plural

1. Also called rag gourd.  Also called dishcloth gourd. 

   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 vegetable sponge.  the dried, fibrous interior of this fruit, used as a sponge.

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loofah British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• loofahs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of loofah

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

loofah loofahs

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 ● Nov. 15, 2021

“If the loofah doesn’t dry completely, the moist environment invites bacterial growth,” she adds.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2020

And to book the $65 tasting menu, which features rarer ingredients like loofah, a gourd from Botswana, you must call ahead and share your own.

From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2018

Kudos to Sharna Burgess for finding a lighter side underneath all that sobriety and for wearing an elegant dress on top of a poofy pink loofah during a “Pride and Joy” foxtrot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2014

He scrubbed and scrubbed with the loofah pod until the top layer of skin seemed worn away.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Because they facilitate rapid bacteria growth, shower loofahs should be replaced every three months, or “more frequently if you’re not invested in rinsing them after every use,” Berliet says.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2020

These sturdy suction-cup hooks stick directly onto tile or glass, giving you a place to hang damp loofahs, swimsuits, or back brushes.

From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2019

We all know conditioner makes hair soft and face moisturizers work better on cheeks than a squirt of Jergens and loofahs make lots of fun soapy foam in the shower.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 17, 2018

Nowadays not only does Guess pick kudzu for soap, she grows her own luffas ? the plants used to make natural loofahs for bathing.

From Washington Times ● May 13, 2018

Mixed with dramatic inhalations and scratching noises made with loofahs, they created a sound world painfully innocent and fragile.

From New York Times ● Apr. 16, 2015