Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Tamarind \Tam"a*rind\, n. [It. tamarindo, or Sp. tamarindo, or
Pg. tamarindo, tamarinho, from Ar. tamarhind[=i], literally,
Indian date; tamar a dried date + Hind India: cf. F. tamarin.
Cf. {Hindu}.] (Bot.)
1. A leguminous tree ({Tamarindus Indica}) cultivated both
the Indies, and the other tropical countries, for the sake
of its shade, and for its fruit. The trunk of the tree is
lofty and large, with wide-spreading branches; the flowers
are in racemes at the ends of the branches. The leaves are
small and finely pinnated.
2. One of the preserved seed pods of the tamarind, which
contain an acid pulp, and are used medicinally and for
preparing a pleasant drink.
{Tamarind fish}, a preparation of a variety of East Indian
fish with the acid pulp of the tamarind fruit.
{Velvet tamarind}.
(a) A West African leguminous tree ({Codarium
acutifolium}).
(b) One of the small black velvety pods, which are used
for food in Sierra Leone.
{Wild tamarind} (Bot.), a name given to certain trees
somewhat resembling the tamarind, as the {Lysiloma
latisiliqua} of Southern Florida, and the {Pithecolobium
filicifolium} of the West Indies.
Source : WordNet®
Tamarindus indica
n : long-lived tropical evergreen tree with a spreading crown
and feathery evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers
yielding hard yellowish wood and long pods with edible
chocolate-colored acidic pulp [syn: {tamarind}, {tamarind
tree}, {tamarindo}]