cubeb

American  

[kyoo-beb] / ˈkyu bɛb /

noun

1. the spicy fruit or drupe of an East Indian climbing shrub, Piper cubeba, of the pepper family.

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cubeb British  

/ ˈkjuːbɛb /

noun

1. a SE Asian treelike piperaceous woody climbing plant, Piper cubeba, with brownish berries

2. the unripe spicy fruit of this plant, dried and used as a stimulant and diuretic and sometimes smoked in cigarettes

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Etymology

Origin of cubeb

1250–1300; < Medieval Latin cubēba < Arabic kubābah (classical Arabic kabābah ); replacing Middle English cucube, quibibe < Anglo-French, Middle French < Medieval Latin, as above

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