Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A recent form of columbo, the common name for the root of Jateorhiza palmata and other plants. See columbo.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Med.) The root of a plant (Jateorrhiza Calumba, and probably Cocculus palmatus), indigenous in Mozambique. It has an unpleasantly bitter taste, and is used as a tonic and antiseptic.
  • noun the Frasera Carolinensis, also called American gentian. Its root has been used in medicine as bitter tonic in place of calumba.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun medicine, archaic The bitter root of a plant (Jateorhiza calumba, and probably Cocculus palmatus), indigenous to Mozambique, and used as a tonic and antiseptic.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From its native name in Mozambique.

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Examples

Comments

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  • "'We shall treat the indisposition as a case of nascent yellow fever, and I shall dose myself accordingly. Have we any calumba root left?'"

    —P. O'Brian, The Commodore, 225

    A Sea of Words: Columbo root, prescribed as a mild astringent tonic. (128)

    March 18, 2008