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

Evidence for betel nut consumption can now be traced into the Late Pleistocene, long before the development of agriculture.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

Sometimes plain and phlegmy, sometimes blood red from chewing tobacco-laced betel nut or paan, it decorates simple walls and mighty edifices alike.

From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2021

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

Certainly a cup of tea is more refreshing than the fragment of betel nut wrapped up in a leaf and enclosed in a piece of gold paper.

From India and the Indians by Edward Fenton Elwin