Definition

1. Noun:
   • A plant: Any vine belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae that produces fruits with a hard, durable outer shell.
   • A fruit: The inedible fruit of such a plant, characterized by its hard rind.
   • A container: A bottle, dipper, or other vessel made from the dried and hollowed-out shell of such a fruit.

Usage

• The word "gourd" primarily refers to the plant or its fruit. When used to mean a container, it typically refers to an object crafted from the dried fruit.
• It is a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• As a plant:
  • Farmers often grow gourds along fences.
  • The gourd vine spread rapidly across the garden trellis.
• As a fruit:
  • They decorated the porch with colorful dried gourds.
  • The hard shell of the gourd protects the seeds inside.
• As a container:
  • He drank water from a gourd.
  • The traditional instrument was made from a large gourd.

Advanced Usage

• "Bottle gourd": A specific type of gourd () with a bottle-like shape, commonly used for making containers.
  • The bottle gourd is also known as calabash.

Variants and Related Words

• Gourd family: Another name for the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes pumpkins, squash, melons, and cucumbers.
• Gourdy (adj., rare): Resembling or characteristic of a gourd.

Synonyms

• Calabash: Often used interchangeably with "gourd," especially for the container or the bottle gourd plant.
• Squash / Pumpkin: These are related edible members of the gourd family, but "gourd" typically refers to inedible, hard-shelled varieties.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Out of one's gourd" (slang): To be crazy or irrational.
  • He must be out of his gourd to try that stunt. (Note: This is an idiomatic, figurative use separate from the literal meaning of the word.)

Noun

1. any vine of the family Cucurbitaceae that bears fruits with hard rinds
2. any of numerous inedible fruits with hard rinds
3. bottle made from the dried shell of a bottle gourd