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quassia

Syllabification: (quas·sia)
Pronunciation: /ˈkwäSH(ē)ə/
Definition of quassia

noun

  • a South American shrub or small tree related to ailanthus.
    • Genera Quassia and Picrasma, family Simaroubaceae: several species, in particular Q. amara
  • the wood, bark, or root of the quassia, yielding a bitter medicinal tonic, insecticide, and vermifuge.

Origin:

named after Graman Quassi, an 18th-century Surinamese slave who discovered its medicinal properties in 1730

quassia in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of quassia in the British & World English dictionary
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