khat

British  

/ kɑːt, kæt /

noun

1. a white-flowered evergreen shrub, Catha edulis, of Africa and Arabia, whose leaves have narcotic properties

2. the leaves of this shrub, chewed or prepared as a drink

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Etymology

Origin of khat

C19: from Arabic qāt

Example Sentences

In this valley in Hajjah province, where small stone houses dot the hillsides, many breadwinners like Mohammed, a short, rail-thin man, once worked as day laborers and khat farmers.

From Washington Post

Our driver chewed leaves of the mild narcotic khat as he gripped the wheel, frequently steering us onto the wrong side of the road.

From New York Times

Cathinone’s occurrence in khat plants, however, does raise one intriguing question: Could these plants contain hidden fungal partners that are actually the engineers behind the compounds?

From Scientific American

The diplomatic tensions have also affected trade, with Somalia last year banning the import of Kenyan khat, a mild stimulant leaf that injects millions of dollars into Kenya’s economy.

From New York Times

There are also descriptions of lightness and darkness – some seen through the lens of khat – that contribute verbally to this monochromatic scheme.

From Salon