zedoary

American  

[zed-oh-er-ee] / ˈzɛd oʊˌɛr i /

noun

1. an East Indian drug consisting of the rhizome of either of two species of curcuma, Curcuma zedoaria or C. aromatica, used as a stimulant.

---

zedoary British  

/ ˈzɛdəʊərɪ /

noun

1. the dried rhizome of the tropical Asian plant Curcuma zedoaria, used as a stimulant and a condiment: family Zingiberaceae

---

Etymology

Origin of zedoary

1425–75; late Middle English zeduarye < Medieval Latin zeduāria < Arabic zadwār (< Persian ) + Latin -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

From ajowan to zedoary, there are hundreds of other herbs available, in 17th century Herbalist John Parkinson's phrase, "for use and delight."

From Time Magazine Archive

We read of pomegranates, nutmegs, almonds, dates, figs, liquorice, aniseed, cinnamon, and zedoary, an Eastern plant used as a stimulant.

From Of Six Mediæval Women To Which Is Added A Note on Mediæval Gardens by Kemp-Welch, Alice

He likewise chewed a small piece of Virginian snake-root, or zedoary, if he approached any place supposed to be infected.

From Old Saint Paul's A Tale of the Plague and the Fire by Ainsworth, William Harrison

The old London Pharmacopœia gave a simpler receipt, in which the ingredients were zedoary and saffron, distilled with crabs' claws, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom seeds, and sugar.

From Sir Walter Ralegh A Biography by Stebbing, W. (William)

Zerumbet, zē-rum′bet, n. an East Indian drug, the cassumunar—sometimes for the round zedoary.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various