amadou
[ am-uh-doo ]
/ ˈæm əˌdu /
noun
a spongy substance prepared from fungi, Polyporus (Fomes) fomentarius and allied species, growing on trees, used as tinder and in surgery.
Origin of amadou
1805–15; < French, Middle French, apparently noun derivative of
amadouer to coax, influence by flattery. verbal derivative of Provençal, Old Provençal
amadou(r) lover < Latin
amātōr-, stem of
amātor (see
amateur); name is usually explained by the conventional association between love and highly combustible substances
Words nearby amadou
amadis,
amadis of gaul,
amado,
amadoda,
amador guerrero,
amadou,
amagasaki,
amah,
amain,
amakihi,
amakrokokroko
British Dictionary definitions for amadous
amadou
/ (ˈæməˌduː) /
noun
a spongy substance made from certain fungi, such as Polyporus (or Fomes) fomentarius and related species, used as tinder to light fires, in medicine to stop bleeding, and, esp formerly, by anglers to dry off dry flies between casts
Word Origin for amadou
C18: from French, from Provençal: lover, from Latin
amātor, from
amāre to love; so called because it readily ignites