curcuma

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cur·cu·ma

C0811600 (kûr′kyə-mə)n. Any of various tropical Asian plants of the genus Curcuma, which includes turmeric and zedoary.

[New Latin Curcuma, genus name, from Arabic kurkum, saffron.]

curcuma

(ˈkɜːkjʊmə) n (Plants) any tropical Asian tuberous plant of the genus Curcuma, such as C. longa, which is the source of turmeric, and C. zedoaria, which is the source of zedoary: family Zingiberaceae[C17: from New Latin, from Arabic kurkum turmeric]

Thesaurus

Noun

Curcuma - tropical Asiatic perennial herbsgenus Curcumaliliopsid genus, monocot genus - genus of flowering plants having a single cotyledon (embryonic leaf) in the seedfamily Zingiberaceae, ginger family, Zingiberaceae - a family of tropical monocotyledonous plants of order MusalesCurcuma domestica, Curcuma longa, turmeric - widely cultivated tropical plant of India having yellow flowers and a large aromatic deep yellow rhizome; source of a condiment and a yellow dye

Translations

Curcuma

a genus of herbaceous plants of the family Zin-giberaceae. They are perennial plants, 0.5–3 m tall, with thick rootstocks. The leaves are usually large and lance-shaped or oblong. The flowers are in dense, spike-like inflorescences surrounded by bracts that are sometimes brightly colored. There are more than 40 species, mainly in tropical Asia and a few in northern Australia and tropical Africa. Many species of Curcuma have long been cultivated as food, spice, and medicinal plants. The most important is turmeric (C. longa), whose aromatic rootstock is used as an ingredient in spicy seasonings. The yellow dye obtained from it is used to dye fabrics and color butter and cheeses. The rootstock of C. zedoaria is used in medicine and perfumery; a starchy meal (a substitute for arrowroot) is obtained from it and from other species.

curcuma

cur·cu·ma

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Curcuma

Curcuma

Curcuma

Synonyms for Curcuma

noun tropical Asiatic perennial herbs

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