OPOPANAX

opopanax

(noun) an odorous gum resin formerly used in medicines

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

opopanax (countable and uncountable, plural opopanaxes)

(obsolete) A gum resin obtained from the root of Opopanax chironium, formerly used in medicine.

A perfume made from the gum resin of various trees.

The popinac or opopanax tree (Acacia farnesiana, syn. Vachellia farnesiana), an acacia of America.

Source: Wiktionary


O*pop"a*nax, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. opopanax.]

Definition: The inspissated juice of an umbelliferous plant (the Opoponax Chironum), brought from Turkey and the East Indies in loose granules, or sometimes in larger masses, of a reddish yellow color, with specks of white. It has a strong smell and acrid taste, and was formerly used in medicine as an emmenagogue and antispasmodic. Dunglison.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 May 2025

DESIRABLE

(adjective) worth having or seeking or achieving; “a desirable job”; “computer with many desirable features”; “a desirable outcome”


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Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

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