curcuma longa

Noun
Synonyms: turmericCurcuma domestica

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. widely cultivated tropical plant of India having yellow flowers and a large aromatic deep yellow rhizome; source of a condiment and a yellow dyeSynonyms: turmericCurcuma domestica
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Turmeric \Tur"mer*ic\, n. [F. terre-m['e]rite, NL. terramerita, turmerica; apparently meaning, excellent earth, but perhaps a corruption of Ar. kurkum. Cf. Curcuma.]

1.(Bot.) An East Indian plant of the genus Curcuma, of the Ginger family. [1913 Webster]

2.The root or rootstock of the Curcuma longa. It is externally grayish, but internally of a deep, lively yellow or saffron color, and has a slight aromatic smell, and a bitterish, slightly acrid taste. It is used for a dye, a medicine, a condiment, and a chemical test. [1913 Webster]

Curcuma \Cur"cu*ma\ (k?r"k?-m?), n. [Cf. F., It., & Sp. curcuma; all fr. Ar. kurkum. Cf. Turmeric.] (Bot.) A genus of plants of the order Scitamine[ae], including the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa). [1913 Webster]

Curcuma paper. (Chem.) See Turmeric paper, under Turmeric. [1913 Webster]

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