arrowroot

Meaning

Noun

• Maranta arundinacea from the Marantaceae family, a large perennial herb native to the Caribbean area with green leaves about 15 centimeters long.
• 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 (species) (Florida arrowroot) or Pueraria montana var. lobata (Japanese arrowroot or kudzu).
• A starchy substance obtained from the rhizomes of an arrowroot plant used as a thickener.

Origin

• From Arawak aru-aru, influenced by arrow + root because the plant’s “roots” (more accurately rhizomes) are used on wounds from poison darts to absorb the poison.