gourd

noun

ˈgȯrd  ˈgu̇rd 

plural gourds

1

: any of a family (Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family) of chiefly herbaceous tendril-bearing vines including the cucumber, melon, squash, and pumpkin

2

: the fruit of a gourd : pepo

especially : any of various hard-rinded inedible fruits of plants of two genera (Lagenaria and Cucurbita) often used for ornament or for vessels and utensils

Walking through the various barrios, you might see people sharing sips from a little gourd with a straw in it.

—Bruce Sanderson

… a basketball-size gourd draped with a veil of wooden beads—to incite individual bursts of improvisation from the orchestra's players.

—The New Yorker

see also out of one's gourd

Examples of gourd in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are plenty of mini pumpkins and gourds available for purchase. —Megan Stringer, Axios, 15 Oct. 2024

Spread a collection of miniature pumpkins and gourds down the center of your dining table to create a festive fall centerpiece, or place them on shelves for subtle fall decor. 11 of 11 Pastel Centerpiece Keep a seasonal bouquet on display in your home from Halloween until Thanksgiving. —Claire Hoppe, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024

That will also give you plenty of time to try making the soup with a variety of gourds, including butternut, kabocha and acorn squash. —Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024

Your Guide to Using Real Branches and Leaves as Fall Decor 06 of 09 2003: Gourds in Vases Stack different sizes of gourds into clear glass vases of various heights for a harvest spin on floral arrangements. —Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gourde, from Anglo-French gurde, gourde, from Latin cucurbita

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing gourd

• bottle gourd
• buffalo gourd
• out of one's gourd

Kids Definition

gourd

noun

ˈgō(ə)rd  ˈgȯ(ə)rd 

ˈgu̇(ə)rd

1

: any of a family of tendril-bearing vines (as the cucumber, melon, squash, and pumpkin)

2

: the usually hard-shell many-seeded fruit of a gourd

gourdlike

-ˌlīk

adjective