A tropical African tree or its medicinal bark, traditionally used to treat tapeworms and other parasites.
From Amharic kosso or Ge'ez word for the tree. The word entered English medical terminology through European colonial contact with Ethiopia and East Africa.
Cusso was one of the few effective pre-modern medicines against tapeworms—before modern antiparasitics, this Ethiopian plant extract was genuinely lifesaving in regions with parasitic infections!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.