gumbo
gumbo Lexical Profile
gumbo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
American A hearty stew originating in southern Louisiana, typically made with a strongly flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and the Creole holy trinity of celery, bell peppers, and onions.
"We ordered a large bowl of seafood gumbo served over white rice at the French Quarter restaurant."
American The green edible pods of the okra plant, traditionally used as a thickening agent in Southern stews, or the plant itself.
"The farmer harvested a fresh basket of gumbo from the summer garden before the pods grew too tough."
American A fine, clayey soil commonly found in the western and midwestern United States that becomes exceptionally sticky and heavy when wet.
"After the torrential rain, the tractor became hopelessly stuck in the thick gumbo of the soybean field."
• Rhymes for gumbo
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Louisiana French, originating from Central Bantu languages (such as Kimbundu 'kingombo' or Umbundu 'ochingombo') meaning 'okra', reflecting the deep West African culinary influence on the American South.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.