rhatany

[ rat-n-ee ]

/ ˈræt n i /

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noun, plural rhat·a·nies.

either of two South American shrubs belonging to the genus Krameria, of the legume family, K. tiandra(knotty rhatany, or Peruvian rhatany ) or K. argentea(Brazilian rhatany, or Pará rhatany ).

the root of either of these plants, used as an astringent and tonic in medicine and also to color port wine.

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Origin of rhatany

First recorded in 1800–10; from New Latin rhatania, from Latin American Spanish rataña, Portuguese ratánhia, from Quechua ratánya; the rh- is by analogy with Greek scientific terms beginning with rh-, e.g., rhododendron,rheumatic

Words nearby rhatany

rhapsodic, rhapsodist, rhapsodize, rhapsody, Rhapsody in Blue, rhatany, rhathymia, r.h.b., rhd, Rh disease, rhDNase

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

How to use rhatany in a sentence

Hard extract of rhatany is also much employed for the same purpose.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold Cooley
It is astringent, and possesses no advantage over rhatany or catechu.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold Cooley
Color, if too light with Tincture of Rhatany, then rack it off and fine it.
One Thousand Secrets of Wise and Rich Men Revealed|C. A. Bogardus

British Dictionary definitions for rhatany

rhatany

/ (ˈrætənɪ) /

noun plural -nies

either of two South American leguminous shrubs, Krameria triandra or K. argentea, that have thick fleshy roots

the dried roots of such shrubs used as an astringent

Also called: krameria

Word Origin for rhatany

C19: from New Latin rhatānia, ultimately from Quechua ratánya

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012