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ayahuasca

[ah-yuh-wah-skuh]
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noun
  1. a woody South American vine, Banisteriopsis caapi, of the malpighia family, having bark that is the source of harmine, a hallucinogenic alkaloid used by Amazon Indians.
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Origin of ayahuasca

From American Spanish; further origin uncertain
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ayahuasca

Historical Examples

  • They make use of a narcotic drink called Ayahuasca, which produces effects similar to those of opium.

    The Andes and the Amazon

    James Orton

British Dictionary definitions for ayahuasca

ayahuasca

noun
  1. a Brazilian plant, Banisteriopsis caapi, that has winged fruits and yields a powerful hallucinogenic alkaloid sometimes used to treat certain disorders of the central nervous system: family Malpighiaceae
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Word Origin

C20: from Quechua
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012