Dictionary entry

Colocynth

Webster's Dictionary 1913

Col″ocynth (?), n. [L. colocynthis, Gr. �. Cf. Coloquintida.] (Med.) The light spongy pulp of the fruit of the bitter cucumber (Citrullus, orCucumis, 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.