cassia

American  

[kash-uh, kas-ee-uh] / ˈkæʃ ə, ˈkæs i ə /

noun

1. Also called cassia bark;.  Also called Chinese cinnamon.  a variety of cinnamon derived from the cassia-bark tree.

2. any of numerous plants, trees, and shrubs belonging to the genus Cassia, of the legume family, several species of which yield medicinal products.

3. Also called cassia pods.  the pods of Cassia fistulosa, a tree widely cultivated as an ornamental.

4. Also called cassia pulp.  the pulp of these pods, used medicinally and as a flavoring.

---

cassia British  

/ ˈkæsɪə /

noun

1. any plant of the mainly tropical leguminous genus Cassia, esp C. fistula, whose pods yield cassia pulp , a mild laxative See also senna

2. a lauraceous tree, Cinnamomum cassia, of tropical Asia

3. the cinnamon-like bark of this tree, used as a spice

---

Etymology

Origin of cassia

before 1000; Middle English cas ( s ) ia, Old English < Latin < Greek kas ( s ) ía < Semitic; compare Hebrew qəṣīʿāh

Example Sentences

Cinnamon is made from the bark of two trees: Cinnamomum verum for cinnamon sticks and Cinnamomum cassia for ground cinnamon.

From Salon • Dec. 11, 2023

Kent Augustine, who is picking up a loaf on his way to work, says the use of local cassia and tamarind wood gives it a unique flavour.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2022

Some of these were fairly mainstream, like pink grapefruit and chamomile; others were more recherché, like aniseed and cassia; and one, Grains of Paradise, sounded like a gnarly and sardonic rock band from Hawaii.

From The New Yorker • Dec. 2, 2019

He used cassia bark cinnamon, which he likes for its pungent, earthy quality, and built a syrup of toasted cinnamon, pecan and lemon.

From Washington Post • Feb. 16, 2017

And the night air was thick and soft and hot with the smell of the flowers of the cassia tree.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck