colocynth

colocynth
The peeled dried fruit of Citrullus colcynthis (family Cucurbitaceae), an herb of the sandy shores of the Mediterranean, resembling somewhat the watermelon plant; formerly widely used as a cathartic and laxative. SYN: bitter apple. [G. kolokynthe, the round gourd or pumpkin]

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col·o·cynth 'käl-ə-.sin(t)th n a Mediterranean and African herbaceous vine (Citrullus colocynthis) related to the watermelon also its spongy fruit from which a powerful cathartic is prepared

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colo·cynth (kolґo-sinth) [L. colocynthis; Gr. kolokynthē] 1. Citrullus colocynthus. 2. the pulpy fruit of C. colocynthus. 3. the dried pulp of the full grown but unripe fruit of C. colocynthus, used as a drastic cathartic. Called also bitter apple and bitter cucumber.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • colocynth — [käl′ə sinth΄] n. [L colocynthis < Gr kolokynthis] 1. an African and Asian perennial vine (Citrullus colocynthis) of the gourd family, whose small, dried fruits are used in making a strong cathartic 2. this fruit, or the cathartic prepared… …   English World dictionary

  • Colocynth — Bitter apple and spelling variants redirect here. This is also used for the poisonous Soda Apple, a species of nightshade. Taxobox name = Colocynth image width = 240px image caption = Citrullus colocynthis from Koehler s Medicinal Plants (1887)… …   Wikipedia

  • colocynth — /kol euh sinth/, n. 1. a plant, Citrullus colocynthis, belonging to the gourd family, of the warmer parts of Asia, the Mediterranean region, etc., bearing a round, yellow or green fruit with a bitter pulp. 2. the fruit of this plant. 3. Pharm.… …   Universalium

  • colocynth — kartusis arbūzas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Moliūginių šeimos vaistinis kultūrinis augalas (Citrullus colocynthis). atitikmenys: lot. Citrullus colocynthis; Colocynthis vulgaris; Cucumis colocynthis angl. bitter apple; colocynth; vine… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • colocynth apple — noun see colocynth 1 …   Useful english dictionary

  • colocynth — noun Etymology: Latin colocynthis, from Greek kolokynthis Date: 1543 a Mediterranean and African herbaceous vine (Citrullus colocynthis) related to the watermelon; also its spongy fruit from which a powerful cathartic is prepared …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • colocynth — noun /kɒl.əˈsɪnθ/ A viny plant native to the Mediterranean Basin and Asia. It produces a lemon sized, yellowish, green mottled, spongy, and extremely bitter fruit, a powerful hepatic stimulant and hydragogue cathartic used as a strong laxative.… …   Wiktionary

  • colocynth — n. type of plant; fruit of this plant; purgative derived from this fruit …   English contemporary dictionary

  • colocynth — [ kɒləsɪnθ] noun a tropical climbing plant with pulpy fruit which yield a bitter purgative drug. [Citrullus colocynthis.] Origin C16: via L. from Gk kolokunthis …   English new terms dictionary

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