Cucurbitaceous

/kjuːkɜːrbɪˈteɪʃəs/ adjective

Definition

Belonging to or relating to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae); having characteristics typical of cucurbits.

Etymology

From Cucurbitaceae (the gourd family) plus the suffix -ous (possessing the quality of), following standard English adjective formation from Latin botanical terms.

Kelly Says

Many cucurbitaceous plants evolved tendrils to climb—they literally developed climbing equipment that spirals and locks onto supports, solving engineering problems that humans only figured out with ropes.

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