physic nut

noun

an ornamental, tropical American tree, Jatropha curcas, of the spurge family, having ivylike leaves, small, yellow or greenish-yellow flowers, and olive-shaped fruit yielding a purgative, poisonous oil.
the fruit itself.

Origin of physic nut

¹

First recorded in 1775–85

Also called Barbados nut, purging nut.

Words Nearby physic nut

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use physic nut in a sentence

Of considerable importance is the physic-nut (Jatropha curcas), which is exported.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 3 | Various
physic nut, jatropha curcas, belongs to the same order and class as the cassada, &c.
Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume II (of 2) | Anonymous
The French physic nut, jatropha multifida, is another species of this tribe.
Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume II (of 2) | Anonymous

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