noun
a mainly tropical genus of American plant belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae
• Syn: ↑genus Jatropha
• Hypernyms: ↑rosid dicot genus
• Member Holonyms: ↑Euphorbiaceae, ↑family Euphorbiaceae, ↑spurge family
• Member Meronyms: ↑physic nut, ↑Jatropha curcus
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\\ˈja.trəfə\ nounUsage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek iatros physician + trophē food, from trephein to nourish — more at atrophy
: a widely distributed mainly tropical American genus of herbs, shrubs, and trees (family Euphorbiaceae) usually having lobed leaves and inconspicuous cymose flowers — see physic nut
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jatropha /jat'rə-fə/
noun
Any plant of the genus Jatropha, esp Jatropha curcas, whose seeds yield an oil that can be used as a biofuel
ORIGIN: New L, from Gr iātros a physician, and trophē food
Useful english dictionary. 2012.