loofah

American  

[loo-fuh] / ˈlu fə /

Also loofa,

noun

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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of loofah

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

Example Sentences

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 • Jan. 19, 2022

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

Shaoxing invisibly seasons the long pale-green ribbons of warm loofah that call to mind braised cucumbers.

From New York Times • Oct. 5, 2021

He enumerates some pleasures of life on the outside — sleeping on comfortable sheets, soaping up a loofah sponge in the shower.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2020

She handed him a strip of cloth and a loofah pod to scrape off the dirt.

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