betel
- 1A climbing Asian plant whose leaves are chewed, often wrapped around a nut.
Like a lettuce leaf used to wrap up other food, but chewed instead.
He plucked a few betel leaves from the vine behind his house.
In the market, fresh betel is sold in tied bundles for chewing.
- 2A tall tropical palm tree, and the nut-like seed it produces that people chew.
Like coffee: the seed gives people a small lift of energy.
The vendor cracked open a betel and wrapped the pieces in a leaf.
Tall betel palms lined the road leading into the village.
Similarareca
Note
- 3A small wrapped mix of leaf, nut, and other things that people chew.
Like a piece of gum that people keep tucked in the mouth for a long time.
She tucked a betel into her cheek and chewed it slowly while she worked.
After dinner, the host passed around betel for everyone to enjoy.
Similarpaan
Note
- 4One of two plants, often used together, whose parts people chew.
Betel has been grown across the region for over a thousand years.
The garden held plenty of betel, both the climbing vine and the tall palm.
Note
Practice
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Origin
It comes from Portuguese "bétele", which came from a word in Malayalam or Tamil.