rhubarb
[ roo-bahrb ]
/ ˈru bɑrb /
noun
any of several plants belonging to the genus Rheum, of the buckwheat family, as R. officinale, having a medicinal rhizome, and R. rhabarbarum, having edible leafstalks.
the rhizome of any medicinal species of this plant, forming a combined cathartic and astringent.
the edible, fleshy leafstalks of R. rhabarbarum, used in making pies, preserves, etc.
Slang.
a quarrel or squabble.
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Origin of rhubarb
1350–1400; Middle English
rubarb, reubarb < Old French
r(e)ubarbe < Medieval Latin
reubarbarum < Greek
rhéon bárbaron foreign rhubarb
Words nearby rhubarb
rhopalid bug,
rhotacism,
rhotacize,
rhotic,
rhs,
rhubarb,
rhumb,
rhumb line,
rhumb sailing,
rhumba,
rhumbatron
Example sentences from the Web for rhubarb
British Dictionary definitions for rhubarb
rhubarb
/ (ˈruːbɑːb) /
noun
any of several temperate and subtropical plants of the polygonaceous genus Rheum, esp R. rhaponticum (common garden rhubarb), which has long green and red acid-tasting edible leafstalks, usually eaten sweetened and cooked
the leafstalks of this plant
a related plant, Rheum officinale, of central Asia, having a bitter-tasting underground stem that can be dried and used medicinally as a laxative or astringent
US and Canadian slang
a heated discussion or quarrel
the noise made by actors to simulate conversation, esp by repeating the word rhubarb at random
verb
to simulate conversation, esp by repeating the word rhubarb at random
Word Origin for rhubarb
C14: from Old French
reubarbe, from Medieval Latin
reubarbum, probably a variant of
rha barbarum barbarian rhubarb, from
rha rhubarb (from Greek, perhaps from
Rha ancient name of the Volga) + Latin
barbarus barbarian