zedoary

American  

[zed-oh-er-ee] / ˈzɛd oʊˌɛr i /

noun

1. an East Indian drug consisting of the rhizome of either of two species of curcuma, Curcuma zedoaria or C. aromatica, used as a stimulant.

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zedoary British  

/ ˈzɛdəʊərɪ /

noun

1. the dried rhizome of the tropical Asian plant Curcuma zedoaria, used as a stimulant and a condiment: family Zingiberaceae

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Etymology

Origin of zedoary

1425–75; late Middle English zeduarye < Medieval Latin zeduāria < Arabic zadwār (< Persian ) + Latin -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

From ajowan to zedoary, there are hundreds of other herbs available, in 17th century Herbalist John Parkinson's phrase, "for use and delight."

From Time Magazine Archive

It is composed of conserve of roses, gillyflowers, borage, candied citron, powder of laetificans Galeni, Roman zedoary, doronicum, and saffron.

From Old Saint Paul's A Tale of the Plague and the Fire by Ainsworth, William Harrison

And all carried rue and wormwood in their hands, and myrrh and zedoary in their mouths, as protection against infection.

From Royalty Restored by Molloy, J. Fitzgerald (Joseph Fitzgerald)

He likewise chewed a small piece of Virginian snake-root, or zedoary, if he approached any place supposed to be infected.

From Old Saint Paul's A Tale of the Plague and the Fire by Ainsworth, William Harrison

The other contains prepared herbs which are useful as preventives--tormentil, valerian, zedoary, angelica, and so forth; but I take it that pure vinegar is as good an antidote to infection as anything one can find.

From The Sign of the Red Cross by Everett-Green, Evelyn