cucurbit

English

Alternative forms

• cucurbita
• cucurbite (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English cocurbite, concurbite, cucurbita, cucurbite, from Middle French cucurbite and Latin cucurbita. Doublet of gourd.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kjuˈkɜː.bɪt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kjuˈkɝ.bɪt/

Noun

cucurbit (plural cucurbits)

1. Any member of the family Cucurbitaceae of gourds.
   • (Can we date this quote?), United States Department of Agriculture, AFRICAN TEPHRITIDAE: INVASIVE SPECIES THREATENING U.S. FRUIT & VEGETABLE PRODUCTS‎:

     Our efforts are directed against species of African origin because these include several notorious pests (such as medfly, Ceratitis capitata), as well as some of the most poorly known ones (species of Dacus feeding on cucurbits).

2. (obsolete) A receptacle, originally gourd-shaped and used for liquids or chemicals; a bottle or other container.
   • 1885, Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, volume 1:

     When Sulayman saw me, he took refuge with Allah and bade me embrace the True Faith and obey his behests; but I refused, so sending for this cucurbit he shut me up therein, and stopped it over with lead

References

• “cucurbit”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.