rat-tan palm

rat·tan

[ra-tan, ruh-]
noun
1.
Also called rattan palm. any of various climbing palms of the genus Calamus or allied genera.
2.
the tough stems of such palms, used for wickerwork, canes, etc.
3.
a stick or switch of this material.
Also, ratan.


Origin:
1650–60; by uncertain mediation < Malay rotan, alleged to derive from rout scrape off, with -an nominalizing suffix

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World English Dictionary
rattan or ratan (ræˈtæn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  any of the climbing palms of the genus Calamus and related genera, having tough stems used for wickerwork and canes
2.  the stems of such plants collectively
3.  a stick made from one of these stems
 
[C17: from Malay rōtan]
 
ratan or ratan
 
n
 
[C17: from Malay rōtan]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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00:10
Rat-tan palm is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

rattan
1660, from Malay rotan, from raut "to trim, strip."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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