Meanings
plural catechus · alternative cacho · alternative cachou · alternative cashoo · alternative catchoo · alternative cutch · alternative catechew
- countableuncountableA gummy extract of any of several species of Acacieae, but especially Senegalia catechu, produced by boiling the wood of the tree in water and evaporating the resulting liquid.
The pale catechus are usually sweeter and more pleasant for chewing.
1837, Jonathan Pereira, “Lectures on Materia Medica: Lecture LXI”, in London Medical Gazette, volume XX, page 107Synonyms: Japanese earth
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA gummy extract of any of several species of Acacieae, but especially Senegalia catechu, produced by boiling the wood of the tree in water and evaporating the resulting liquid.
More synonyms by meaning
nounextract of the heartwood of Acacia catechu used for dyeing and tanning and preserving fishnets and sails; formerly used medicinally
nounEast Indian spiny tree having twice-pinnate leaves and yellow flowers followed by flat pods; source of black catechu
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Malaykacu
- Englishcatechu
Probably a corruption of the Malay kacu.
More words from Malay
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Hindi खैर, कत्था
- खैर (khair)a gummy extract of any of several species of Acacieae
- कत्था (katthā)a gummy extract of any of several species of Acacieae
Irish caitsiú
- caitsiúa gummy extract of any of several species of Acacieae
Tagalog kateku
- katekua gummy extract of any of several species of Acacieae
Cite this entry
catechu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catechu
“catechu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catechu. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catechu,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catechu.
Source: catechu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.