gourd

American  

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

noun

• gourds
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• gourd-shaped
  adjective
• gourdlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• gourds
  plural

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

See Examples For:

gourd gourds

Then she was quiet for a moment, watching a Carolina wren pop in and out of a gourd it was using for a nest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Zhao Xuan, 28, who tells the BBC that her parents dispensed so much "gourd soup literature" that she has muted her family group chat.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

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 ● Jun. 11, 2024

It suggests potential pathways for breeding more resilient and productive varieties of bottle gourd and other crops.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 20, 2024

The meals provided by Min’s wife were simple, but they never failed to delight his friend, who opened the gourd parcel each evening as if it were a gift of royal jewels.

From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park

It is sold on street corners from vendors with large gourds, and also seen mixed with spirits on cocktail menus in upscale restaurants throughout the state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

“If a Jack-o’-lantern isn’t your style, use paint, appliqués, and accessories to give your gourds personality,” Stewart suggests.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2025

Earlier research from Inui and his team revealed that gourds contain a type of protein that binds to pollutants, allowing them to move through the plant's tissues.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2025

Torres made her first pumpkin display at home in 2013, inspired by the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden’s Pumpkin Village, which features over 100,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash spread over 66 acres.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025

During my second week in the enclosure, giant green gourds began to soften and sag and drop from the trees.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Related Words

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