stevia
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Any plant of the genus Piqueria or the closely related genus Stevia: A plant belonging to either of these two related botanical genera.
- Any plant of the genus Stevia or the closely related genus Piqueria having glutinous foliage and white or purplish flowers; Central and South America: A more specific definition describing plants from these genera, characterized by sticky leaves and flowers that are white or purplish in color, native to Central and South America.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The garden features several species of stevia known for their sticky leaves.
- Farmers in Paraguay cultivate stevia for its natural sweetening properties.
- Botanists are studying the classification of this stevia within the genus.
Advanced Usage
- While the core definition refers to the botanical plant, the term "stevia" is now most commonly used to refer to the sweetener extracted from the leaves of , a specific species within the genus.
- Many people use stevia as a zero-calorie sugar substitute in their coffee.
Variants and Related Words
- Stevioside (n): A specific glycoside compound found in stevia leaves that is responsible for its intense sweetness.
- Stevia rebaudiana (n): The most commercially significant species of stevia, from which the popular sweetener is derived.
Synonyms
- Sweetleaf: A common name for plants in the genus, particularly .
- Sugarleaf: Another informal name referencing the plant's sweet leaves.
Notes on Different Meanings
- The primary dictionary definition focuses on the botanical entity (the plant itself).
- In contemporary, everyday usage, "stevia" almost exclusively refers to the refined sweetener product made from the plant's leaves, which is a metonymic shift in meaning.
Noun
- any plant of the genus Piqueria or the closely related genus Stevia
- any plant of the genus Stevia or the closely related genus Piqueria having glutinous foliage and white or purplish flowers; Central and South America