jalap

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: jal=ap

CIDE DICTIONARY

jalap, n. [F., fr. Sp. jalapa; -- so called from Jalapa, a town in Mexico, whence it was first obtained.].

 The tubers of the Mexican plant Ipomœa purga (or Exogonium purga) of the family Convolvulaceae, a climber much like the morning-glory. The abstract, extract, and powder, prepared from the tubers, are well known purgative (cathartic) medicines, and are also called jalap. Other species of Ipomœa yield several inferior kinds of jalap, as the Ipomœa Orizabensis, and Ipomœa tuberosa.  [1913 Webster]

False jalap, the root of Mirabilis Jalapa, four-o'clock, or marvel of Peru.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

jalap, n. a purgative drug obtained esp. from the tuberous roots of a Mexican climbing plant, Exogonium purga.

Etymology

F f. Sp. jalapa f. Jalapa, Xalapa, city in Mexico, f. Aztec Xalapan sand by the water