sponge gourd
- noun
:
calabaza esponjosa
- The sponge gourd is commonly cultivated in Asia for its edible young fruit.
Examples
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Some gardeners grow sponge gourd both for food and for its natural sponges.
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After harvesting, the dried sponge gourd can be used for cleaning and bathing.
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I bought a fresh sponge gourd at the market.
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The sponge gourd is often used in Asian cuisine.
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The sponge gourd is a popular ingredient in many traditional recipes across Asia.
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In my garden, I have a vine of sponge gourd that produces delicious, edible young fruits.
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Chefs love using sponge gourd for its unique texture in stir-fries and soups.
Synonyms
8
4.2
A climbing plant that makes fruits with hard skins, some used for food or decoration
A tropical climbing plant with big yellow flowers, edible young fruits, and a dry inside used as a sponge
A climbing plant with large yellow flowers and edible young fruits that dry into natural sponges
A tropical climbing plant with yellow flowers, edible young fruits, and dried inner fruit used as a sponge
A climbing tropical plant whose fruit becomes a dry fibrous sponge and whose young fruit is eaten
A plant fruit used as a natural bath sponge, like a loofah
A climbing plant that makes fruits with hard skins like bottle gourds
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'sponge gourd' transparently denotes a gourd associated with a sponge — i.e., a gourd whose fibrous fruit is used like a sponge. This is a regular noun+noun compound that follows straightforward compositional semantics, so a B1 learner who knows 'sponge' and 'gourd' can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Sponge gourd names a climbing plant whose fruit is a gourd people eat when it is young, but if it is left to dry the inside becomes stringy and sponge-like. So the name joins sponge and gourd and explains why the dried fruit is used for 'washing' and why the plant is grown for both food and natural sponges.