catechu

American  

[kat-i-choo, -kyoo] / ˈkæt ɪˌtʃu, -ˌkyu /

noun

1. any of several astringent substances obtained from various tropical plants, especially from the wood of two East Indian acacias, Acacia catechu and A. suma: used in medicine, dyeing, tanning, etc.

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catechu British  

/ ˈkætɪˌtʃuː /

noun

1. a water-soluble astringent resinous substance obtained from any of certain tropical plants, esp the leguminous tree Acacia catechu of S Asia, and used in medicine, tanning, and dyeing See also gambier

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Etymology

Origin of catechu

1670–80; < New Latin < Portuguese; perhaps a conflation of Marathi kāt catechu and kāccu, with same sense, alleged to be < Malayalam; cashoo, cutch perhaps < Malay kacu < Malayalam, or a cognate Dravidian word

Example Sentences

The palms of the presidency consist of cocoa-nut, date, palmyra and areca catechu.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 2 "Bohemia" to "Borgia, Francis" by Various

Acacia catechu.—The drug known as catechu is principally prepared from this tree, the wood of which is boiled down, and the decoction subsequently evaporated so as to form an extract much used as an astringent.

From Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture by Saunders, William

The result is that the blue on the silk is decomposed, and the goods by absorbing the tannin in the catechu increase in weight from 35 to 40 per cent.

From Textiles For Commercial, Industrial, and Domestic Arts Schools; Also Adapted to Those Engaged in Wholesale and Retail Dry Goods, Wool, Cotton, and Dressmaker's Trades by Dooley, William H. (William Henry)

On wool, catechu yields khaki browns in single bath by using copper sulphate as the mordant.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 1: Deposition to Eberswalde by Various

On silk, catechu is much used for weighting purposes in dyeing black.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 8 "Dubner" to "Dyeing" by Various