catechu

[ kat-i-choo, -kyoo ]
/ ˈkæt ɪˌtʃu, -ˌkyu /

noun

any of several astringent substances obtained from various tropical plants, especially from the wood of two East Indian acacias, Acacia catechu and A. suma: used in medicine, dyeing, tanning, etc.
Also called cashoo, cutch.

Origin of catechu

1670–80; < New Latin < Portuguese; perhaps a conflation of Marathi kāt catechu and kāccu, with same sense, alleged to be < Malayalam; cashoo, cutch perhaps < Malay kacu < Malayalam, or a cognate Dravidian word

Words nearby catechu

catechism, catechist, catechize, catechol, catecholamine, catechu, catechumen, categorematic, categorial, categorial grammar, categoric contact

Example sentences from the Web for catechu

British Dictionary definitions for catechu

catechu

cachou or cutch

/ (ˈkætɪˌtʃuː) /

noun

a water-soluble astringent resinous substance obtained from any of certain tropical plants, esp the leguminous tree Acacia catechu of S Asia, and used in medicine, tanning, and dyeing See also gambier

Word Origin for catechu

C17: probably from Malay kachu, of Dravidian origin