Calabaza

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of pumpkin originating from tropical regions, commonly used in culinary dishes
2. A gourd-like squash harvested in various forms and typically utilized in soups, pies, and other food preparations
3. A large, round fruit of certain varieties of Cucurbita, appreciated for its sweet flesh and versatility in cooking

Etymology: The Spanish "calabaza" traces back to a Vulgar Latin form, "calapaccia", which is probably the source of the Old Spanish "calabaça" and, from there, the modern Spanish word for a squash or gourd. The Latin base has been linked to the Greek "kalábē", a word for a kind of gourd or drinking vessel, though that connection is uncertain. The Spanish term's older roots may lie even further back, in the pre-Roman languages of the Iberian Peninsula, but the evidence for that is thin. English took the word directly from Spanish, so the squash in question is one of the many New World foods that arrived in English by way of Spanish speakers. Its meaning stayed close to the original, a round gourd-like fruit, and the word retains the Spanish spelling and pronunciation in many English contexts, especially in American and Southwestern cooking.

Synonyms: pumpkin, squash, gourd, winter squash