cascara

[ kas-kair-uh ]

noun

1. a shrub, Rhamnus purshiana (or Frangula purshiana ), of the buckthorn family, of the Pacific coast of the United States, having finely toothed leaves and flowers in umbels and yielding cascara sagrada.

cascara

/ kæsˈkɑːrə /

noun

1. See cascara sagrada
2. Also calledcascara buckthornbearwood a shrub or small tree, Rhamnus purshiana of NW North America, whose bark is a source of cascara sagrada: family Rhamnaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of cascara¹

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; from Spanish cáscara “bark,” perhaps akin to cascar “to crack,” ultimately derived from unattested Vulgar Latin quassicāre, equivalent to Latin quass(āre) “to shatter” ( quash ) + -icā- formative verb suffix + -re infinitive ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of cascara¹

C19: from Spanish: bark, from cascar to break, from Vulgar Latin quassicāre (unattested) to shake violently, shatter, from Latin quassāre to dash to pieces

Example Sentences

Q: We planted a cascara tree in early April, and this is its current state.

From Seattle Times

On the smaller size, cascara grow to 30 feet tall, and have gorgeous blooming flowers.

From Seattle Times

And, my friends, cascara is so easy to prepare.

From Seattle Times

“We found that the cascara sugar on the top added a bit of sweetness without overpowering the beverage.”

From Fox News

Learn the difference between coffee varietals like Geisha and Typica, or how dried coffee cherries are turned into tea called cascara.

From New York Times