carnauba

[ kahr-nou-buh, -naw-, -noo- ]
/ kɑrˈnaʊ bə, -ˈnɔ-, -ˈnu- /

noun

a palm, Copernicia prunifera, of Brazil, having palmate leaves covered with wax.
Also called carnauba wax. the hard, lustrous wax obtained from the leaves of this tree, used as a polish or floor wax.

Origin of carnauba

1850–55; < Brazilian Portuguese < Tupi karanaʾiwa

Example sentences from the Web for carnauba

British Dictionary definitions for carnauba

carnauba
/ (kɑːˈnaʊbə) /

noun

Also called: wax palm a Brazilian fan palm, Copernicia cerifera
Also called: carnauba wax the wax obtained from the young leaves of this tree, used esp as a polish

Word Origin for carnauba

from Brazilian Portuguese, probably of Tupi origin