i, kʊ- noun
1.
a blackish, resinlike substance derived from tropical plants of the genus Strychnos, especially S. toxifera, and from the root of pareira, used by certain South American Indians for poisoning arrows and employed in physiological experiments, medicine, etc., for arresting the action of motor nerves.
2.
a plant yielding this substance.
Also, cu·ra·ri.
Origin:
1770–80; < Portuguese < Carib kurari
1770–80; < Portuguese < Carib kurari
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To curare
Collins
World English Dictionary
curare or curari (kjʊˈrɑːrɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | black resin obtained from certain tropical South American trees, esp Chondrodendron tomentosum, acting on the motor nerves to cause muscular paralysis: used medicinally as a muscle relaxant and by South American Indians as an arrow poison |
| 2. | any of various trees of the genera Chondrodendron (family Menispermaceae) and Strychnos (family Loganiaceae) from which this resin is obtained |
| [C18: from Portuguese and Spanish, from Carib kurari] | |
| curari or curari | |
| —n | |
| [C18: from Portuguese and Spanish, from Carib kurari] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Curare
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
curare
1777, from Port. or Sp. curare, a corruption of the name in the Carib language of the Macusi Indians of Guyana, wurali or wurari, which had a sort of click sound at the beginning, and is said to mean "he to whom it comes falls."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
curare cu·ra·re or cu·ra·ri (k&oobreve;-rä'rē, ky&oobreve;-)
n.
An extract obtained from several tropical American woody plants, especially Chondrodendron tomentosum, used as an arrow poison by some Indian peoples of South America.
A purified preparation or alkaloid obtained from Chondrodendron tomentosum, used to relax skeletal muscles.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
curare  (k -rä'rē, ky-) Pronunciation Key
|
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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