bottle gourd

bottle gourd ExamplesWord Origin noun

1. See under gourd(def 1).

Origin of bottle gourd First recorded in 1860–65 gourd [gawrd, gohrd, goo rd] noun

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.Compare gourd family.
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.

Idioms

5. out of/off one’s gourd, Slang. out of one’s mind; crazy.

Origin of gourd 1275–1325; Middle English gourd(e), courde Anglo-French (Old French cöorde) Latin cucurbita Related formsgourd·like, adjective Examples from the Web for bottle gourd Historical Examples of bottle gourd

The model of the form was a simple and obvious one—the bottle-gourd—and it would contain about two quarts.

Early Western Travels 1748-1846, v. 27

Various

Then he hung a bottle-gourd on his back, and went into the hills to gather medicinal herbs.

The Chinese Fairy Book

Various

Li Tia Guai has the bottle-gourd, out of which emerges a bat, the emblem of good fortune.

The Chinese Fairy Book

Various

British Dictionary definitions for bottle gourd gourd 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 fruitSee 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

Derived Formsgourdlike, adjectivegourd-shaped, adjectiveWord Origin for gourd C14: from Old French gourde, ultimately from Latin cucurbita bottle gourd noun

1. an Old World cucurbitaceous climbing plant, Lagenaria siceraria, having large hard-shelled gourds as fruits
2. the fruit of this plant

Also called: calabash Word Origin and History for bottle gourd gourd n.

c.1300, from Anglo-French gourde, from Old French coorde, ultimately from Latin cucurbita “gourd,” of uncertain origin, perhaps related to cucumis “cucumber.”