calabash
calabash Lexical Profile
• noun
A water container, bowl, utensil, or smoking pipe made from the dried, hollowed-out shell of a calabash.
"During the ceremony, the elder served traditional palm wine from a beautifully carved calabash."
The large, hard-shelled fruit of the calabash tree or the bottle gourd vine, commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions.
"The farmer harvested a massive calabash from the vine, planning to let it dry in the sun."
A tropical American evergreen tree (Crescentia cujete) that bears large, spherical, woody fruits.
"We sought shade under the broad, spreading branches of the calabash growing near the edge of the village."
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 16th century: from French 'calebasse', from Spanish 'calabaza', possibly of pre-Roman Iberian origin or derived from Persian 'kharbuz' (melon).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.