sterculia

[ stur-kyoo-lee-uh ]
/ stɜrˈkyu li ə /

noun

any of various tropical trees of the genus Sterculia, of which some species are grown as ornamentals and some are the source of commercially valuable wood.

Origin of sterculia

1765–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin Stercul(us) a Roman deity supposed to have invented manuring (derivative of stercus manure, excrement) + ia -ia; from the fetid odor of the blossoms of certain species

Words nearby sterculia

stercoral abscess, stercoral fistula, stercoral ulcer, stercoricolous, stercoroma, sterculia, sterculia gum, sterculiaceous, stercus, stere, stereo

Example sentences from the Web for sterculia

British Dictionary definitions for sterculia

sterculia
/ (stɜːˈkjuːlɪə) /

noun

a dietary fibre used as a food stabilizer and denture adhesive. It is the dried gum tapped from the trunk and stems of the tree Sterculia urens, native to Central India and Pakistan