moxa

American  

[mok-suh] / ˈmɒk sə /

noun

1. a flammable substance or material obtained from the leaves of certain Chinese and Japanese wormwood plants, especially Artemisia moxa.

2. this substance or a similar one of cotton, wool, or the like, placed on the skin usually in the form of a cone or cylinder and ignited for use as a counterirritant.

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moxa British  

/ ˈmɒksə /

noun

1. a downy material obtained from various plants and used in Oriental medicine by being burned on the skin as a cauterizing agent or counterirritant for the skin

2. any of various plants yielding this material, such as the wormwood Artemisia chinensis

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Etymology

Origin of moxa

1670–80; by uncertain mediation < Japanese mogusa, equivalent to mo ( y ) e burn + -gusa, combining form of kusa herb