Canamary

/ˈkænəmeri/ noun

Definition

A small South American tree or its fiber, used traditionally in textile production.

Etymology

From Portuguese or Spanish, origin uncertain but likely from indigenous Tupi or Guaraní languages of South America. The word followed colonial trade routes to English.

Kelly Says

Canamary is one of thousands of plant names English borrowed from indigenous South American languages through Portuguese traders—it's a linguistic ghost of pre-Columbian botanical knowledge.

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