The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
balsam pear
NOUN:
1. A tropical, Old World, tendril-bearing annual vine (Momordica charantia) having yellow flowers and orange, warty fruits that open at maturity to expose red-coated seeds. 2. The immature fruit of this plant, used as a vegetable in Asian cuisine. The ripe fruit is not eaten. Also called bitter gourd, bitter melon.
