ARROWROOT

achira, indian shot, arrowroot, Canna indica, Canna edulis

(noun) canna grown especially for its edible rootstock from which arrowroot starch is obtained

arrowroot, American arrowroot, obedience plant, Maranta arundinaceae

(noun) white-flowered West Indian plant whose root yields arrowroot starch

arrowroot

(noun) a nutritive starch obtained from the root of the arrowroot plant

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

arrowroot (countable and uncountable, plural arrowroots)

(countable, uncountable) Maranta arundinacea from the Marantaceae family, a large perennial herb native to the Caribbean area with green leaves about 15 centimeters long. [from late 17th c.]

(countable, uncountable) Usually preceded by an attributive word: some other plant the rhizomes of which are used to prepare a substance similar to arrowroot (sense 3), such as Zamia integrifolia (Florida arrowroot) or Pueraria montana var. lobata (Japanese arrowroot or kudzu).

(uncountable) A starchy substance obtained from the rhizomes of an arrowroot plant used as a thickener.

Notes

Source: Wiktionary

Ar"row*root`, n.

1. (Bot.)

Definition: A west Indian plant of the genus Maranta, esp. M. arundinacea, now cultivated in many hot countries. It said that the Indians used the roots to neutralize the venom in wounds made by poisoned arrows.

2. A nutritive starch obtained from the rootstocks of Maranta arundinacea, and used as food, esp. for children an invalids; also, a similar starch obtained from other plants, as various species of Maranta and Curcuma.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition