bitter-melon, noun

Origin:
EnglishShow more English, probably shortened form of bitter watermelon.
tsamma.
1828 T. Pringle Ephemerides 90The bitter-melon, for food and drink, Is the pilgrim’s fare by the salt lake’s brink. [Source Note: A wild fruit found in the deserts.]
[1844 J. Backhouse in C.A. Smith Common Names (1966) 109A round, poisonous bitter melon, Citrullus amara, about five inches in diameter is abundant in this country.]
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 61Bitter-melon,..Citrullus vulgaris Sch. See also Tsama water-melon.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 12Bittermelon, Citrullis vulgaris, var. amara. (Wild coloquint). Frequent in the Karoo and Kalahari regions.
1982 Fox & Norwood Young Food from Veld 167Citrullus lanatus...Common names: English — bitter melon, [etc.].
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English
bitter Karoo, noun phrasen. phr.bitter watermelon, noun phrasen. phr.
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