gourd
Americannoun
-
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.
-
a plant bearing such a fruit.
-
a dried and excavated gourd shell used as a bottle, dipper, flask, etc.
-
a gourd-shaped, small-necked bottle or flask.
idioms
noun
-
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
-
any plant that bears this fruit See also sour gourd dishcloth gourd calabash
-
a bottle or flask made from the dried shell of the bottle gourd
-
a small bottle shaped like a gourd
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing gourd
October Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Life Is So Good
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
When My Name Was Keoko
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gourd juice — like virtually all organic material — certainly qualifies as a food source.
From Washington Post • Apr. 7, 2023
Born into a family of Gnawa practitioners, Mr. El Gourd is now fighting not only for his house, but for his legacy.
From New York Times • Aug. 21, 2021
The latest novelty is called a Gourd Tree.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2018
These stories’ whimsical tenor and sense of myth seeped into her own writing—1934’s Jonah’s Gourd Vine, 1937’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, and the 1942 memoir Dust Tracks on a Road.
From Slate • Jun. 7, 2018
Then I sent them to follow the Drinking Gourd.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
