tuckahoe

[tuhk-uh-hoh]

noun

Also called Indian bread. the edible, underground sclerotium of the fungus Poria cocos, found on the roots of trees in the southern United States.
arrow arum.
(usually initial capital letter) a Virginian, especially one inhabiting the lowland E of the Blue Ridge.

Origin of tuckahoe

1605–15, Americanism; earlier applied to various roots and underground fungi < Virginia Algonquian (E spelling) tockwhogh, tockawhoughe, taccaho arrow arum root (used for bread), derivative of Proto-Algonquian *takwah- to pound (it) fine, reduce (it) to flour; compare Shawnee takhwa bread

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for tuckahoe

Historical Examples of tuckahoe

All this hurry, noise, and singing was very different from the stillness of Tuckahoe.
My Bondage and My Freedom
Frederick Douglass
He owned about thirty "head" of slaves, and three farms in Tuckahoe.
My Bondage and My Freedom
Frederick Douglass
I pray you to present me affectionately to your family, and that of Tuckahoe.
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. I (of 9)
Thomas Jefferson
And the captain of the Tuckahoe gave the command "Hard lee!"
The Mermaid of Druid Lake and Other Stories
Charles Weathers Bump
This evidently suggested a line of action to the master of the Tuckahoe.
The Mermaid of Druid Lake and Other Stories
Charles Weathers Bump

Word Origin and History for tuckahoe

edible plant root, 1610s, American English, from Powhatan (Algonquian) tockawhoughe (cf. Mohegan tquogh, Shawnee tukwhah), perhaps related to Cree (Algonquian) pitikwaw "made round."