sour gourd

American  

noun

1. the acid fruit of any of several African or Australian trees belonging to the genus Adansonia, of the bombax family, as the baobab, A. digitata.

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sour gourd British  

noun

1. a large bombacaceous tree, Adansonia gregorii, of N Australia, having gourdlike fruit

2. the acid-tasting fruit of this tree, which has a woody rind and large seeds

3. the fruit of the baobab tree

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Etymology

Origin of sour gourd

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

There are two species, A. digitata, the baobab or monkeyÐbread of Africa and India, and A. Gregorii, the sour gourd or creamÐofÐtartar tree of Australia.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah

The tulip-tree and the sour gourd recall the vegetation of equatorial Africa, which many of the natural products here very closely resemble.

From Under the Southern Cross or Travels in Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Samoa, and Other Pacific Islands by Ballou, Maturin Murray