upas

[ yoo-puhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the poisonous milky sap of a large tree, Antiaris toxicaria, of the mulberry family, native to tropical Asia, Africa, and the Philippine Islands, used for arrow poison.
the tree itself.

upas

/ ˈjuːpəs /

a large moraceous tree of Java, Antiaria toxicaria, having whitish bark and poisonous milky sap
the sap of this tree, used as an arrow poison

Origin of upas¹

1775–85; < Javanese: poison, especially dart poison

Origin of upas¹

C19: from Malay: poison

Without her aid, this seminal principle of mischief, this root of Upas, could not have been planted.

I also found that there is no deadly upas-tree in Java, which was a distinct shock to me.

One of the experiments to be related below, was made with the upas prepared by myself, after my return to the chief village.

It has an exceedingly long stem, but does not yield, like the upas, a whitish milky juice.

This is the celebrated Upas, whose deadly properties were formerly exaggerated in so many wonderful fables.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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