myrobalan

noun

my·​rob·​a·​lan

mīˈräbələn,

mə̇ˈ-

variants or less commonly myrobalam

-ləm

or myrabolam

-rabələm

or myrabolan

-lən

or myrobolan

-räbələn

plural -s

1

a

: the dried astringent fruit of any of several East Indian trees of the genus Terminalia (as T. chebula and T. bellerica) used chiefly in tanning and in inks

b

: a tree producing myrobalans

2

a

: cherry plum sense 1

b

: emblic

Word History

Etymology

Middle French mirobolan, mirabolan, from Latin myrobalanus, myrobalanum, from Greek myrobalanos, from myron unguent, perfume + balanos acorn

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!