coontie

[ koon-tee ]

noun
  1. either of two arrowroots, Zamia integrifolia or Z. floridana, of Florida, having a short trunk, pinnate leaves, and cones: Z. floridana is an endangered species.

  2. the flour produced from its starch.

Origin of coontie

1
1785–95, Americanism;<Florida Creek kuntí· applied to arrowroot and the starch derived therefrom, earlier (in Georgia) applied to the smilax

Words Nearby coontie

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British Dictionary definitions for coontie

coontie

/ (ˈkuːntɪ) /


noun
  1. an evergreen plant, Zamia floridana of S Florida, related to the cycads and having large dark green leathery leaves: family Zamiaceae

  2. a starch derived from the underground stems of this plant

Origin of coontie

1
C19: from Seminole kunti flour from this plant

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