noun
Old World tropical vine
• Syn: ↑genus Momordica
• Hypernyms: ↑dicot genus, ↑magnoliopsid genus
• Member Holonyms: ↑Cucurbitaceae, ↑family Cucurbitaceae, ↑gourd family
• Member Meronyms: ↑balsam apple, ↑Momordica balsamina, ↑balsam pear, ↑Momordica charantia
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\\məˈmȯ(r)də̇kə\ nounUsage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin momordisse, perfect inf. of mordēre to bite; from the fact that the seeds appear to have been bitten — more at smart
: a genus of tropical Old World herbaceous vines (family Cucurbitaceae) having a campanulate corolla and a warty fruit — see balsam apple
Useful english dictionary. 2012.