Definitions
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- noun The
rape plant , havingbright yellow flowers ; source of anedible oil
Etymologies
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yarb commented on the word oilseed rape
A.k.a. rapeseed or canola.
Small bright yellow fields of this patchworked the land I grew up in.
November 9, 2007
uselessness commented on the word oilseed rape
That sounds terrible. Who names this stuff?
November 10, 2007
skipvia commented on the word oilseed rape
Canola was coined by Canadian producers of rapeseed oil for the exact purpose of avoiding use of the term "rape" in reference to their product. It stands for "Canadian oil," basically.
Edit: More specifically, Canola stands for CANadian Oil, Low Acid. The term rape comes from the Latin word rapum, meaning "turnip," a related species.
November 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word oilseed rape
No kidding? Well, in this case, I'd say they probably were on the right track--even if rapum does mean turnip.
November 10, 2007
skipvia commented on the word oilseed rape
I have a friend here in Alaska who grows rapeseed commercially. He can't call the oil "canola" because it's a trademarked term.
November 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word oilseed rape
Like scotch whiskey and champagne, I presume? Not that he wants to grow those. ;->
November 10, 2007
skipvia commented on the word oilseed rape
Yarb, I am reminded of a bus trip I took through central Canada some years ago. The fields of rapeseed stretched as far as I could see in every direction. Amazing sight. It reminded me of the poppy fields in The Wizard of Oz, except that the rapeseed flowers were yellow and the poppies were red. And the poppies were short but the rapeseed plants were quite tall. And of course, the plains in central Canada were very flat, but the poppy fields in Oz were...
I guess they really didn't remind me of the poppies in Oz. I wonder what I was thinking?...
November 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word oilseed rape
Must have been soooome bus trip, skipvia. ;-)
November 11, 2007
skipvia commented on the word oilseed rape
Well, it was the late sixties...
November 11, 2007
reesetee commented on the word oilseed rape
'Nuff said.
November 11, 2007