arrowroot

3 definitions found

arrowroot - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Maranta \Ma*ran"ta\, prop. n. [NL.] (Bot.)
     A genus of endogenous plants found in tropical America, and
     some species also in India. They have tuberous roots
     containing a large amount of starch, and from one species
     (Maranta arundinacea, the American arrowroot or obedience
     plant) arrowroot (arrowroot starch) is obtained. Many
     kinds are cultivated for ornament.
     [1913 Webster]

  Arrowroot \Ar"row*root`\, n.
     1. (Bot.) A white-flowered west Indian plant of the genus
        Maranta, esp. Maranta arundinacea, now cultivated in
        many hot countries. Its root yields arrowroot starch. It
        said that the Indians used the roots to neutralize the
        venom in wounds made by poisoned arrows.
  
     Syn: arrowroot, American arrowroot, obedience plant.
          [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]

arrowroot - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  arrowroot
      n 1: a nutritive starch obtained from the root of the arrowroot
           plant
      2: white-flowered West Indian plant whose root yields arrowroot
         starch [syn: arrowroot, American arrowroot, obedience   plant
         , Maranta arundinaceae]
      3: canna grown especially for its edible rootstock from which
         arrowroot starch is obtained [syn: achira, indian shot,
         arrowroot, Canna indica, Canna edulis]