ayahuasca

American  

[ah-yuh-wah-skuh] / ˌɑ yəˈwɑ skə /

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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ayahuasca British  

/ ˌaɪəˈwɑːskə /

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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Etymology

Origin of ayahuasca

From Latin American Spanish (Ecuador, Peru); from Quechua aya “dead” + huasca “rope”

Example Sentences

Ayahuasca is common in Central and South America.

From Washington Times • Aug. 4, 2022

Ayahuasca taught them about the intimate connections among beings, the Ashaninka say.

From Scientific American • May 23, 2022

Working with the Chacruna Institute, an organisation set up to share research on plant medicines and psychedelics, Sinclair has written the Ayahuasca Community Guide for the Awareness of Sexual Abuse.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2020

We were dining at the Yellow Rose of Texas in Iquitos, Peru, and a sign above our table taunted us with the rules for the Ayahuasca retreat.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2015

Ayahuasca is traditionally taken in the presence of a shaman.

From The Guardian • Aug. 7, 2010