Balimbing

The Philippine fruit balimbing has the scientific name Averrhoa carambola. It’s called a star fruit in English because when you cut it crosswise, the shape you see is is that of a star. (To compare, when you cut a watermelon in half, the shape you see is a circle.)

In Tagalog, the word balimbing is also slang for a traitor or a turncoat. This is because the balimbing fruit has many sides. Politicians who change parties or loyalties based on who’s currently has authority are frequently derided as balimbing.

Names for the balimbing fruit in other countries: bilimbi, bimbli, belimbing, blimbling, biling, bimbiri