sappanwood

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

sappanwood from Buton Island, Indonesia

Etymology[edit]

sappan +‎ wood

Noun[edit]

sappanwood (uncountable)

  1. The wood of Biancaea sappan (syn. Caesalpinia sappan), a flowering timber tree also yielding meducine and red dye, in the legume family Fabaceae.
    • 2007, Giambattista Basile, translated by Nancy L. Canepa, Tale of Tales, Penguin, page 195:
      The dye I'm talking about is quite a different thing from indigo or sappanwood [translating verzino]; it's a dye that makes the color of myrtle appear like flesh to people!

References[edit]