curare
Curare (noun) means a toxic plant extract traditionally used by South American peoples to poison arrows and darts. Example: “Hunters coated their darts with curare to paralyze prey quickly.”
How to use curare
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA powerful plant-based poison that paralyzes muscles, historically used on hunting arrows and later adapted for surgery.
Word forms
curares plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Hunters coated their darts with _____ to paralyze prey quickly.
Etymology
Borrowed from a Cariban language of South America, where similar words referred to poisonous vines used to tip arrows.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for curare
See all rhymes for curare →Frequently asked questions
What does “curare” mean?
The word “curare” means a toxic plant extract traditionally used by South American peoples to poison arrows and darts. In plain terms, a powerful plant-based poison that paralyzes muscles, historically used on hunting arrows and later adapted for surgery.
How do you pronounce “curare”?
“Curare” is pronounced kyuu-RAH-ree (/kjʊˈɹɑ.ɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “curare” in a sentence?
Here is “curare” used in a sentence: “Hunters coated their darts with curare to paralyze prey quickly.”
What part of speech is “curare”?
“Curare” is a noun.
How many meanings does “curare” have?
“Curare” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a toxic plant extract traditionally used by South American peoples to poison arrows and darts.