betel nut

American  

noun

1. the astringent kernel of the seed of the betel palm, chewed in many tropical regions in combination with slaked lime and the leaves of the betel plant.

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betel nut British  

noun

1. the seed of the betel palm, chewed with betel leaves and lime by people in S and SE Asia as a digestive stimulant and narcotic

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Etymology

Origin of betel nut

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

betel nut

Those analyses detected arecoline inside the dental tissues of the ancient foragers, providing strong evidence that they had consumed betel nut.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

He could barely stand, but he followed the officer to a clearing, where three higher-ranking officials sat under the shade of betel nut trees.

From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2019

The practice involves placing a small gift — a bit of money or betel nut — in a basket in exchange for a favor.

From Fox News ● Dec. 13, 2018

A native cash crop, betel nut is referred to as "green gold", and it is completely untaxed.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2017

Many would be solemnly and industriously chewing the betel nut, which colors lips and saliva a vivid red.

From An Ohio Woman in the Philippines Giving personal experiences and descriptions including incidents of Honolulu, ports in Japan and China by Emily Bronson Conger