In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
zedoary (countable and uncountable, plural zedoaries)
Curcuma zedoaria, a perennial herb native to India and Indonesia.
Synonyms: white turmeric, kentjur
• 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
29 May 2025
(adjective) characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; “a critical reading”; “a critical dissertation”; “a critical analysis of Melville’s writings”
In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.