Cassia

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cas=sia

CIDE DICTIONARY

Cassia, n. [L. cassia and casia, Gr. kassi`a and kasi`a; of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. qetsīāh, fr. qātsa' to cut off, to peel off.].

•  A genus of leguminous plants (herbs, shrubs, or trees) of many species, most of which have purgative qualities. The leaves of several species furnish the senna used in medicine.  [1913 Webster]
•  The bark of several species of Cinnamomum grown in China, etc.; Chinese cinnamon. It is imported as cassia, but commonly sold as cinnamon, from which it differs more or less in strength and flavor, and the amount of outer bark attached.  [1913 Webster]

  " The medicinal “cassia” (Cassia pulp) is the laxative pulp of the pods of a leguminous tree (Cassia fistula or Pudding-pipe tree), native in the East Indies but naturalized in various tropical countries."  [1913 Webster]

Cassia bark, the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, etc. The coarser kinds are called Cassia lignea, and are often used to adulterate true cinnamon. -- Cassia buds, the dried flower buds of several species of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia, atc..). -- Cassia oil, oil extracted from cassia bark and cassia buds; -- called also oil of cinnamon.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Cassia, n.
1 any tree of the genus Cassia, bearing leaves from which senna is extracted.
2 the cinnamon-like bark of this tree used as a spice.

Etymology

L f. Gk kasia f. Heb. kes{icirc}'ah bark like cinnamon