curare

or cu·ra·ri

[ kyoo-rahr-ee, koo- ]

noun

1. a blackish, resinlike substance derived from tropical plants of the genus Strychnos, especially S. toxifera, and from the root of pareira, used by certain South American Indians for poisoning arrows and employed in physiological experiments, medicine, etc., for arresting the action of motor nerves.
2. a plant yielding this substance.

curare

/ kjʊˈrɑːrɪ /

noun

1. black resin obtained from certain tropical South American trees, esp Chondrodendron tomentosum , acting on the motor nerves to cause muscular paralysis: used medicinally as a muscle relaxant and by South American Indians as an arrow poison
2. any of various trees of the genera Chondrodendron (family Menispermaceae ) and Strychnos (family Loganiaceae ) from which this resin is obtained

curare

/ k-rä′rē,ky- /

1. A dark, resinous extract obtained from several tropical American woody plants, especially Chondrodendron tomentosum or certain species of Strychnos, used as an arrow poison by some Indian peoples of South America.
2. A purified preparation of an alkaloid obtained from Chondrodendron tomentosum, used in medicine and surgery to relax skeletal muscles.

Word History and Origins

Origin of curare¹

1770–80; < Portuguese < Carib kurari

Word History and Origins

Origin of curare¹

C18: from Portuguese and Spanish, from Carib kurari

Example Sentences

The word “curate” comes from the Latin “curatus,” the past participle of “curare,” which means “to take care of.”

From New York Times

Holly felt the dart puncture the suit’s toughened material, depositing its load of curare and succinylcholine chloride-based tranquilizer into her shoulder.

From Literature

Even today, most patients undergoing major surgery have no idea that part of the anaesthetic mix will be a modern pharmaceutical version of curare, a poison derived from a South American plant, which causes paralysis.

From The Guardian

With curare this cannot happen and it is possible for patients to be awake and, since they are entirely paralyzed, for the anesthesiologist to be unaware of it.

From New York Times

This is not only true for those experimenting with curare.

From The Guardian