Hottentot bread
Definition
- Noun:
- Thick edible rootstock of elephant's-foot: "Hottentot bread" refers to the large, starchy, and edible tuberous root of the elephant's-foot plant (Dioscorea elephantipes), a species native to southern Africa.
Usage
- The term "Hottentot bread" is used specifically as a common name for this plant part. It is a historical and botanical term.
- It is typically used in botanical, historical, or ethnographic contexts to describe a traditional food source.
Examples
- Noun:
- Early European explorers in South Africa recorded the use of Hottentot bread as a survival food.
- The elephant's-foot plant stores water and nutrients in its massive caudex, which is known as Hottentot bread.
Advanced Usage
- The term is considered dated and potentially offensive due to the historical use of "Hottentot," an archaic and pejorative term for the Khoekhoe peoples. Modern botanical and culinary descriptions often prefer the plant's scientific name or descriptive terms like "elephant's-foot tuber."
Variants and Related Words
- Elephant's-foot: The common name for the plant .
- Caudex: The botanical term for a thickened, woody stem base, which describes the form of the "Hottentot bread."
- Tuber: A general term for a thickened underground plant stem, similar in function.
Synonyms
- Elephant's-foot tuber: A more descriptive and modern synonym.
- Hottentot's bread: A minor variant spelling.
Notes on Usage
- Due to its etymological origin, the term "Hottentot bread" is largely obsolete in contemporary, respectful discourse. It is primarily encountered in historical texts or specific botanical references. When discussing the plant or its uses today, it is more appropriate to use the scientific name or a descriptive phrase.
Noun
-
thick edible rootstock of elephant's-foot
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