colocynth

1 definition found

colocynth - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Colocynth \Col"ocynth\, n. [L. colocynthis, Gr. ?. Cf.
     Coloquintida.] (Med.)
     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]