colocynth

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: col=o=cynth

CIDE DICTIONARY

colocynth, n. [L. colocynthis, Gr. . Cf. Coloquintida.].

 The light spongy pulp of the fruit of the bitter cucumber (Citrullus colocynthis, or Cucumis colocynthis), an Asiatic plant allied to the watermelon; coloquintida. It comes in white balls, is intensely bitter, and a powerful cathartic. Called also bitter apple, bitter cucumber, bitter gourd.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

colocynth, n. (also coloquintida)
1 a a plant of the gourd family, Citrullus colocynthis, bearing a pulpy fruit. b this fruit.
2 a bitter purgative drug obtained from the fruit.

Etymology

L colocynthis f. Gk kolokunthis