carambola

noun

car·​am·​bo·​la ˌker-əm-ˈbō-lə How to pronounce carambola (audio)
ˌka-rəm-
1
: a 5-angled green to yellow tropical fruit of star-shaped cross section

called also star fruit

2
: a tropical tree (Averrhoa carambola) of the wood-sorrel family that is native to southeastern Asia and is widely cultivated for carambolas

Examples of carambola in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mature carambola trees can withstand temperature dips to around 26 degrees for a short period of time, but young trees are more susceptible to the cold. — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 24 Oct. 2020 This tropical fruit, also known as carambola, comes in sweet and tart varieties and has a juicy texture similar to pineapple. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 July 2017 And everyone can try 40 varieties of Brazil’s exotic fruits like caju, acai, carambola, caqui, goiaba and maracuja, often squeezed into Brazil’s delicious juices (sucos in Portuguese). — The Associated Press, New York Times, 14 May 2016

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Portuguese, probably borrowed from a Konkani equivalent of Marathi karambala, going back to a derivative of Sanskrit karmara- "the fruit or tree Averrhoa carambola" (as karmaraṅga- or karmaphala- —with phalaṃ "fruit"), of uncertain origin

Note: The Marathi word is recorded in J. T. Molesworth's A Dictionary, Marathi and English (Bombay, 1857), along with the variants kamarakha, karamara, karamaḷa.

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carambola was in 1598

Rhymes for carambola

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Browse Nearby Words

carajura
carambola
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Cite this Entry

“Carambola.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carambola. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

carambola

noun
car·​am·​bo·​la ˌkar-əm-ˈbō-lə How to pronounce carambola (audio)
: star fruit
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