[syn: tamarind, tamarindo]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Tamarind \Tam"a*rind\, n. [It. tamarindo, or Sp. tamarindo, or
Pg. tamarindo, tamarinho, from Ar. tamarhind[imac],
literally, Indian date; tamar a dried date + Hind India: cf.
F. tamarin. Cf. Hindu.] (Bot.)
1. A leguminous tree (Tamarindus Indica) cultivated both
the Indies, and the other tropical countries, for the sake
of its shade, and for its fruit. The trunk of the tree is
lofty and large, with wide-spreading branches; the flowers
are in racemes at the ends of the branches. The leaves are
small and finely pinnated.
[1913 Webster]
2. One of the preserved seed pods of the tamarind, which
contain an acid pulp, and are used medicinally and for
preparing a pleasant drink.
[1913 Webster]
Tamarind fish, a preparation of a variety of East Indian
fish with the acid pulp of the tamarind fruit.
Velvet tamarind.
(a) A West African leguminous tree (Codarium
acutifolium).
(b) One of the small black velvety pods, which are used
for food in Sierra Leone.
Wild tamarind (Bot.), a name given to certain trees
somewhat resembling the tamarind, as the Lysiloma
latisiliqua of Southern Florida, and the Pithecolobium
filicifolium of the West Indies.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
tamarind
n 1: long-lived tropical evergreen tree with a spreading crown
and feathery evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers
yielding hard yellowish wood and long pods with edible
chocolate-colored acidic pulp [syn: tamarind, tamarind
tree, tamarindo, Tamarindus indica]
2: large tropical seed pod with very tangy pulp that is eaten
fresh or cooked with rice and fish or preserved for curries
and chutneys [syn: tamarind, tamarindo]