quebracho

[ key-brah-choh; Spanish ke-brah-chaw ]

noun

, plural que·bra·chos [key-, brah, -chohz, ke-, brah, -chaws].

1. any of several tropical American trees of the genus Schinopsis, having very hard wood, especially S. lorentzii, the wood and bark of which are important in tanning and dyeing.
2. a tree, Aspidosperma quebrachoblanco, of the dogbane family, yielding a medicinal bark.
3. the wood or bark of any of these trees.

quebracho

/ keˈβratʃo; keɪˈbrɑːtʃəʊ /

noun

1. either of two anacardiaceous South American trees, Schinopsis lorentzii or S. balansae, having a tannin-rich hard wood used in tanning and dyeing
2. an apocynaceous South American tree, Aspidosperma quebrachoblanco, whose bark yields alkaloids used in medicine and tanning
3. the wood or bark of any of these trees
4. any of various other South American trees having hard wood

Word History and Origins

Origin of quebracho¹

First recorded in 1880–85; from South American Spanish, variant of quiebracha, quiebra-hacha literally, “(it) breaks (the) hatchet”; quebrada, hatchet

Word History and Origins

Origin of quebracho¹

C19: from American Spanish, from quiebracha, from quebrar to break (from Latin crepāre to rattle) + hacha axe (from French hache )

Example Sentences

The extract is chiefly quebracho, though some chestnut may be used.

From Project Gutenberg

But a certain variety of the quebracho tree is much more valuable for another purpose, viz: the tanning of leather.

From Project Gutenberg

For some years now, two new factors of valuation have come into being: the culture of lucerne and the planting of quebracho wood.

From Project Gutenberg

The Formosa company, which deals in timber and quebracho tannin, has a capital of 200,000.

From Project Gutenberg

Quebracho wood and mangrove bark have been used, but are now made into extracts (pp. 38 and 41).

From Project Gutenberg