# paan

Pronunciation: say "PAHN" /pɑːn/

## Noun

1. A psychoactive preparation of betel leaf combined with areca nut and, sometimes, cured tobacco, chewed recreationally across Asia and often served folded inside the leaf. *(India)*
   - Simple: A betel leaf wrapped around areca nut and sometimes tobacco, chewed for enjoyment in parts of Asia.
   - _She bought a paan from the roadside vendor and tucked it into her cheek as they walked._
   - _Guests at the wedding were offered sweet paan to round off the feast._

## Origin

Borrowed from Hindi पान (pān), and possibly a doublet of "fern" via Proto-Indo-European *pornóm.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/paan (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).