loofah

1 of 2

noun (1)

loo·​fah ˈlü-fə 

variants or luffa

1

: any of a genus (Luffa) of Old World tropical plants of the gourd family with white to yellow flowers and large usually elongated fruits that are sometimes eaten as vegetables when immature

also : the fruit of a loofah

2

: a sponge consisting of the fibrous interior of the mature dried fruit of a loofah (especially Luffa aegyptiaca synonym L. cylindrica)

luffa

2 of 2

noun (2)

luf·​fa

variant spelling of loofah

1

: any of a genus (Luffa) of Old World tropical plants of the gourd family with white to yellow flowers and large usually elongated fruits that are sometimes eaten as vegetables when immature

also : the fruit of a loofah

2

: a sponge consisting of the fibrous interior of the mature dried fruit of a loofah (especially Luffa aegyptiaca synonym L. cylindrica)

Examples of loofah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Considerations Before Getting Started Before cleaning, remove shampoo and conditioner bottles, razors, loofahs, soap, and any other items in your shower. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 June 2026

Bathrooms are coated with marble and feature a tub and shower, both stocked with Diptyque toiletries in pump bottles and bath salts with loofahs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Noun

Make sure to construct a sturdy trellis adjacent to your luffa planting since plants produce stout stems that want to climb. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

New Latin luffa, from Arabic lūf

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for loofah

• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada
• esau

Kids Definition

loofah

noun

loof·​ah

variants also luffa

ˈlü-fə

: any of various Old World tropical plants of the gourd family with large fruits

also : a sponge consisting of the fiber-containing skeleton of its fruit

Etymology

Noun

derived from Arabic lūf "loofah"