The word 'gourd' originally came from French as 'gourde'

'Gourd' is a word borrowed from French 'gourde'. The word entered the English language some time around the 14th century.

gourd [noun] [14th century]

• any of a family (Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family) of chiefly herbaceous tendril-bearing vines including the cucumber, m...
• the fruit of a gourd
• pepo
• any of various hard-rinded inedible fruits of plants of two genera ( and ) often used for ornament or for vessels and u...

Meaning: any of a family (Cucurbitaceae; the gourd family) of chiefly herbaceous tendril-bearing vines including the cucumber; melon; squash; and pumpkin; the fruit of a gourd : pepo; any of various hard-rinded inedible fruits of plants of two genera ( Lagenaria and Cucurbita ) often used for ornament or for vessels and utensils.

Etymology: Middle English gourde; from Anglo-French gurde; gourde; from Latin cucurbita.

Topics: Plants:Fruits.

Origin: From French to English.

See 'gourd' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from French.

See more loan words from 1300s.