English Explanatory Dictionary

curare

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A plant, Strychnos toxifera, formerly used in arrow poisons in South America due to its D-tubocurarine content.
  2. Other South American plants with similar toxins that were also used in arrow poisons, mostly in the family Menispermaceae.
  3. A substance containing the alkaloid D-tubocurarine, used historically as a muscle relaxant during surgery.

Pronunciation

/kjʊˈɹɑː.ɹi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-curare.wav /kjʊˈɹɑ.ɹi/

Word forms

curare curares curari urare urari woorari wurali

Etymology

From a Cariban language; compare Kari'na urari, Trió urari, wïrari, Akawaio urari, Pemon urari, Macushi urari, referring to various vines of genus Strychnos.

Related words

curariform curarisation curarization curarize

Derived words

anticurare curarine curarise -curium -curonium leptocurare pachycurare tubocurarine
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