cowage

or cow·hage, cow·itch

[ kou-ij ]

noun

1. a tropical vine, Mucuna pruriens, of the legume family, bearing reddish or blackish pods.
2. the pod itself, covered with bristlelike hairs that are irritating to the skin and cause intense itching.
3. the hairs of the cowage mixed with a liquid vehicle and used to expel intestinal worms.

cowage

/ ˈkaʊɪdʒ /

noun

1. a tropical climbing leguminous plant, Stizolobium (or Mucuna ) pruriens, whose bristly pods cause severe itching and stinging
2. the pods of this plant or the stinging hairs covering them

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowage¹

First recorded in 1630–40; from Hindi kãũch, kēvā̃c (compare kavac “husk, pod”), reshaped in English by folk etymology

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowage¹

C17: from Hindi kavāch, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Besides those standing, we discovered whole streets that had fallen to decay; barrios of uninhabited ruins, covered with a weed-tangle of convolvuli, cowage, and other creepers, growing in green luxuriousness over the chaos of crumbling walls.

From Project Gutenberg

It is probably not the true reading; if the true reading, it may only mean a Nettle of extra-stinging quality; but it may also mean an Eastern plant that was used to produce cowage, or cow-itch.

From Project Gutenberg

It is called the cowage, or cow-itch, on account of the seed pods being covered with short brittle hairs, the points of which are finely serrated, causing an unbearable itching when applied to the skin, which is relieved by rubbing the part with oil.

From Project Gutenberg

Sunderbunds vegetation—Calcutta Botanic Garden—Leave for Burdwan—Rajah's gardens and menagerie—Coal-beds, geology, and plants of—Lac insect and plant—Camels—Kunker—Cowage— Effloresced soda on soil—Glass, manufacture of—Atmospheric vapours—Temperature, etc.—Mahowa oil and spirits—Maddaobund —Jains—Ascent of Paras-nath—Vegetation of that mountain.

From Project Gutenberg

Sunderbunds vegetation—Calcutta Botanic Garden—Leave for Burdwan—Rajah's gardens and menagerie—Coal-beds, geology, and plants of—Lac insect and plant—Camels—Kunker—Cowage— Effloresced soda on soil—Glass, manufacture of—Atmospheric vapours—Temperature, etc.—Mahowa oil and spirits—Maddaobund —Jains—Ascent of Paras-nath—Vegetation of that mountain.

From Project Gutenberg