betel

/'be:təl/

Thân thiện

A woman prepares a fresh betel leaf with areca nut and lime paste.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tropical Asian climbing plant: "betel" refers specifically to the Piper betle plant, a vine cultivated for its glossy, heart-shaped leaves.
   • The leaf of this plant: The word also commonly denotes the leaf itself, which is chewed for its stimulant effects.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The betel is a perennial creeper. (The plant known as betel is a type of vine that lives for many years.)
  • She prepared a betel leaf with areca nut and lime. (She took a single leaf from the betel plant and combined it with other ingredients.)

Advanced Usage

• "Betel chewing": The practice of chewing a preparation containing betel leaf, areca nut, and slaked lime.
  • Betel chewing is a traditional custom in many parts of Asia.
• "Betel quid": A small packet or preparation for chewing, typically consisting of a betel leaf wrapped around sliced areca nut and lime paste.
  • He offered me a betel quid after the meal.

Variants and Related Words

• Betel nut (n): This is a separate term referring to the seed of the areca palm (), which is almost always chewed along with the betel leaf. It is not a "nut" from the betel plant itself.
  • Betel nut is often sliced and wrapped inside the betel leaf.
• Betel pepper (n): Another name for the betel plant ().

Synonyms

• Piper betle: The scientific botanical name for the betel plant.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "betel" specifically and correctly refers only to the leaf of the vine. The common phrase "betel nut" is a misnomer for the seed of a different plant (the areca palm) and is not a variant of the betel leaf itself. They are two distinct ingredients used together in the practice of betel chewing.

Học thuật

Noun

1. Asian pepper plant whose dried leaves are chewed with betel nut (seed of the betel palm) by southeast Asians

Từ đồng nghĩa

• betel pepper
• Piper betel