Definition of "loofa" [loofa]

• Any of several Old World tropical vines of the genus Luffa, having cylindrical fruit with a fibrous, spongelike interior. (noun)
• The dried, fibrous part of the loofa fruit, used as a washing sponge or as a filter. Also called dishcloth gourd, vegetable sponge. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "He meant loofa, which is not a Middle Eastern delicacy but a bath item...."
• "This can be done by investing in reusable nylon exfoliating gloves or a loofa, which is a sponge made from the loofa plant."
• "(He called a loofa a falafel, which even in the shower tastes better.)"