luffa

- 5 dictionary results

luf⋅fa

[loo-fuh, luhf-uh]

–noun

[loo-fuh]

–noun

a.	any of several tropical vines of the genus Luffa, of the gourd family, bearing large, elongated fruit.

b.	the fruit of such a vine.

2.	Also called vegetable sponge. the dried, fibrous interior of this fruit, used as a sponge.

Also, loofa, luffa.

Origin:
1860–65; < NL Luffa the genus < Ar lūf

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source

loo·fa or loo·fah (lōō'fə)

Any of several Old World tropical vines of the genus Luffa, having cylindrical fruit with a fibrous, spongelike interior.
The dried, fibrous part of the loofa fruit, used as a washing sponge or as a filter. Also called dishcloth gourd, vegetable sponge.

[Arabic lūfa, singulative of lūf.]

luf·fa (lōō'fə, lŭf'ə)

n. Variant of loofa.

Word Origin & History

loofah

1887, from Egyptian Arabic lufah, the name of the plant (Luffa ægyptiaca) with fibrous pods from which flesh-brushes are made.

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