chaulmoogra

[ chawl-moo-gruh ]

noun

1. any of several trees of the genus Hydnocarpus (or Taraktogenos ), of southeastern Asia, especially H. kurzii, the seeds of which yield chaulmoogra oil.

chaulmoogra

/ tʃɔːlˈmuːɡrə /

noun

1. a tropical Asian tree, Taraktogenos (or Hydnocarpus ) kurzii: family Flacourtiaceae
2. oil from the seed of this tree, used in treating leprosy
3. any of several similar or related trees

Word History and Origins

Origin of chaulmoogra¹

First recorded in 1805–15, chaulmoogra is from the Bengali word cālmugrā

Word History and Origins

Origin of chaulmoogra¹

from Bengali cāulmugrā, from cāul rice + mugrā hemp

Example Sentences

He contacted Ball and asked if she would tackle another complicated puzzle: chaulmoogra’s mystifying chemistry.

From New York Times

While she was an instructor at the College of Hawaii in 1915, Ball invented a process for producing an anti-leprosy drug from the tropical chaulmoogra tree.

From Nature

By all accounts, Ball worked arduously, juggling teaching during day and the chaulmoogra problem during every moment of her free time.

From National Geographic

Instead of giving raw chaulmoogra oil in doses, as had been the custom for centuries, he gave it by injection to the muscles.

From Project Gutenberg

The report, by Harry Hollmann, extolled the therapeutic potential of chaulmoogra oil, originally a folk remedy for leprosy with ancient roots in India and China.

From New York Times