cinchona

[ sing-koh-nuh, sin- ]

noun
  1. any of several trees or shrubs of the genus Cinchona, of the madder family, especially C. calisaya, native to the Andes, cultivated there and in Java and India for its bark, which yields quinine and other alkaloids.

  2. Also called Jesuit's bark, Peruvian bark. the medicinal bark of such trees or shrubs.

Origin of cinchona

1
<New Latin, the Linnaean genus name, after Francisca Enriques de Ribera, Countess of Chinchón (died 1641), who was associated with the introduction of quinine into Europe, in several accounts now considered spurious

Other words from cinchona

  • cin·chon·ic [sin-kon-ik], /sɪnˈkɒn ɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby cinchona

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How to use cinchona in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cinchona

cinchona

/ (sɪŋˈkəʊnə) /


noun
  1. any tree or shrub of the South American rubiaceous genus Cinchona, esp C. calisaya, having medicinal bark

  2. Also called: cinchona bark, Peruvian bark, calisaya, china bark the dried bark of any of these trees, which yields quinine and other medicinal alkaloids

  1. any of the drugs derived from cinchona bark

Origin of cinchona

1
C18: New Latin, named after the Countess of Chinchón (1576–1639), vicereine of Peru

Derived forms of cinchona

  • cinchonic (sɪŋˈkɒnɪk), adjective

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