jequirity

American  

[juh-kwir-i-tee] / dʒəˈkwɪr ɪ ti /

noun

plural

jequirities

1. the rosary pea, Abrus precatorius, of the legume family.

2. Also called jequirity beans.  the poisonous scarlet seeds of the rosary pea, used for making necklaces and rosaries.

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jequirity British  

/ dʒɪˈkwɪrɪtɪ /

noun

1. other names for Indian liquorice

2. the seed of the Indian liquorice

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Etymology

Origin of jequirity

1880–85; < Portuguese jequirití < Tupi-Guarani jekirití

Example Sentences

They are Hindu prayer-beans, sometimes called ruttee, jequirity beans, seeds of the plant known to science as Abrus precatorius.

From The Treasure-Train by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

Shirley died of jequirity poisoning, or rather of the alkaloid in the bean.

From The Treasure-Train by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

"You remember," she cried, breathlessly, "you said that a jequirity bean was sent to Captain Shirley?"

From The Treasure-Train by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

Kennedy continued looking at the remainder of the jequirity beans and a liquid he had developed from some of them.

From The Treasure-Train by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

The French oculist, Dr. de Wecker, was the first to employ jequirity for this purpose, in the form of a 24 hours’ maceration of the seeds, 10 grams to 500 grams of water.

From The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by Thomas, Jerome Beers