Cucurbita

noun

Cu·​cur·​bi·​ta
-bətə
: the type genus of Cucurbitaceae comprising tropical herbaceous vines that have a bell-shaped gamopetalous corolla five-lobed to the middle or a little lower, coherent stamens, and a many-seeded fleshy fruit with a hard rind, that include the squashes, pumpkins, vegetable marrows, and certain gourds, and that are now nearly cosmopolitan in cultivation

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, gourd

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Cite this Entry

“Cucurbita.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cucurbita. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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