kava
[ kah-vuh ]
noun
a Polynesian shrub, Piper methysticum, of the pepper family, the aromatic roots of which are used to make an intoxicating beverage.
the beverage made from these roots.
Origin of kava
11810–20; <Polynesian (first recorded from Tonga Islands)
- Also called ka·va·ka·va, kava-kava.
Other words from kava
- Ka·va·ic [kuh-vey-ik], /kəˈveɪ ɪk/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for kava
kava
/ (ˈkɑːvə) /
noun
a Polynesian shrub, Piper methysticum: family Piperaceae
a drink prepared from the aromatic roots of this shrub
Origin of kava
1C18: from Polynesian (Tongan): bitter
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
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