Calabash
/ˈkæl.ə.bæʃ/noun
A hard-shelled gourd or a container made from its dried shell.
Did you know?Calabash entered English through Caribbean and West African contact, and the object itself became so culturally important that its name spread across multiple languages as a trade word.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kolokýntha
“gourd or pumpkin-like fruit”
Medieval Latin
Latin
cucurbita
“gourd, squash, or pumpkin”
Arabic
Arabic
qarʿa ḥubbāsh
“gourd or calabash-like vessel”
Spanish
Spanish
calabaza
“gourd, pumpkin, or squash”
17th Century
English
calabash
“a gourd or vessel made from a gourd shell”