calabash

noun

cal·​a·​bash ˈka-lə-ˌbash 

1

: a tropical American tree (Crescentia cujete) of the bignonia family

also : its large hard-shelled globose fruit

2

: gourd

especially : one whose hard shell is used for a utensil

3

: a utensil (such as a bottle or dipper) made from the shell of a calabash

Examples of calabash in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new fruit of the calabash spit into Xquic’s hand. —Literary Hub, 19 May 2026

Now the installation — and the calabash that triggered it — is serving inspiration once more. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026

When Catalina goes into the kitchen to refill her calabash, Frances grabs the box of Thompson paperbacks and makes a run for Ray at the restaurant. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025

Hill’s earrings and necklace designs referenced calabash gourds, a significant symbol in west African culture. —Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 6 May 2025

The precursor of the xylophone and marimba, a balafon is made by carefully cutting 21 wooden slats into different lengths, fixing them atop hallow calabashes, and striking them with mallets wound with the gum and sap of a rubber tree. —Eliot Stein, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2024

Spa therapies incorporate calabash gourds, Eastern modalities, and red hematite body masks à la the iconic Himba women. —Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

French & Spanish; French calebasse gourd, from Spanish calabaza

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for calabash

• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache
• cash
• clash
• crash
• dash
• flash
• gash
• hash
• lash

Kids Definition

calabash

noun

cal·​a·​bash ˈkal-ə-ˌbash 

: gourd sense 2

especially : one whose hard shell is used for a utensil (as a bottle)