betel

See also: bétel

English

Etymology

From Tamil வெற்றிலை (veṟṟilai), from [script needed] (vettr, “variety”) + இலை (ilai, “leaf”).[1]

Noun

betel (usually uncountable, plural betels)

  1. Either of two plants often used in combination:
    1. an evergreen Indian creeping shrub, Piper betle, whose dried leaves are chewed with betel nut: the betel pepper
    2. the seed of the betel palm, Areca catechu: the betel nut
    • 1958, R. K. Narayan, The Guide, Penguin, 1988, p. 194,
      Her face was flushed with the tingling effect of betel leaves.
  2. A quid (chewing preparation) containing these and other plant materials; paan.
    • 1934, George Orwell, chapter 1, in Burmese Days‎:
      He went to the rail to spit out a scarlet mouthful of betel […]
    • 2002, Vātsyāyana, Kama Sutra, translated by Wendy Doniger and Sudhir Kakar, Oxford University Press, 3.3.16, pp. 83-84,
      Within the range of his powers, he sends her, secretly, […] cosmetics such as red lac, red arsenic, yellow arsenic, red mercury sulphide, and black collyrium; sandalwood paste and saffron; and, in course of time, areca nuts and betel leaves for betel.

Translations

See also

References

  1. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary

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