piassava

American  

[pee-uh-sah-vuh] / ˌpi əˈsɑ və /

Also piassaba

noun

1. Also called monkey grass.  a coarse, woody fiber obtained from either of two palms, Leopoldina piassaba or Attalea funifera, of South America, used in making brooms, mats, etc.

2. either of these trees.

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piassava British  

/ ˌpiːəˈsɑːbə, ˌpiːəˈsɑːvə /

noun

1. either of two South American palm trees, Attalea funifera or Leopoldinia piassaba

2. the coarse fibre obtained from either of these trees, used to make brushes and rope

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Etymology

Origin of piassava

1825–35; < Portuguese < Tupi piaçaba

Example Sentences

The latter consisted chiefly of rubber, palm oil and kernels, coffee, piassava fiber, ivory, ginger, camwood, and arnotto.

From The Negro by Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt)

The harbour is one of the best in South America; and the export trade, chiefly in sugar, cotton, coffee, tobacco, hides, piassava, and tapioca, is very extensive.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 3 Atrebates to Bedlis by Various

They go into the bush for ivory, ebony, piassava, and dye-woods, and carry them for days to find sale for them.

From McClure's Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 4, September 1893 by Various

The exports also include hides, mangabeira rubber, piassava fibre, diamonds, cabinet woods and rum.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" by Various

Palm, or piassava fibre, derived from the piassava palm, is used in the manufacture of brooms, brushes, &c.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various