gourd definition

1. <botany> A fleshy, three-celled, many-seeded fruit, as the melon, pumpkin, cucumber, etc, of the order Cucurbitaceae; and especially the bottle gourd (Lagenaria vulgaris) which occurs in a great variety of forms, and, when the interior part is removed, serves for bottles, dippers, cups, and other dishes.

2. A dipper or other vessel made from the shell of a gourd; hence, a drinking vessel; a bottle. Bitter gourd, colocynth.

Origin: F. Gourde, OF. Cougourde, gouhourde, fr. L. Cucurbita gourd (cf. NPr. Cougourdo); perh. Akin to corbin basket, E. Corb. Cf. Cucurbite.

(01 Mar 1998)