In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
ZEDOARY
Etymology
Noun
zedoary (countable and uncountable, plural zedoaries)
Curcuma zedoaria, a perennial herb native to India and Indonesia.
Synonyms: white turmeric, kentjur
Anagrams
• zero day, zero-day
Source: Wiktionary
Zed"o*a*ry, n. Etym: [F. zédoaire, LL. zedoaria; cf. It. zedoaria, zettovario, Pg. zedoaria, Sp. zedoaria, cedoaria; all fr. Ar. & Per. zedw.] (Med.)
Definition: A medicinal substance obtained in the East Indian, having a fragrant smell, and a warm, bitter, aromatic taste. It is used in medicine as a stimulant.
Note: It is the rhizome of different species of Curcuma, esp. C. zedoaria, and comes in short, firm pieces, externally of a wrinkled gray, ash-colored appearance, but within of a brownish red color. There are two kinds, round zedoary, and long zedoary.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Word of the Day
29 May 2025
CRITICAL
(adjective) characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; “a critical reading”; “a critical dissertation”; “a critical analysis of Melville’s writings”
Coffee Trivia
