noun
curare
kyuu-RAH-ree
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.”
noun
1
A toxic plant extract traditionally used by South American peoples to poison arrows and darts.
"Hunters coated their darts with curare to paralyze prey quickly."
2
A purified form of this toxin once used medically as a muscle relaxant during surgery.
"Curare derivatives were once used by anesthesiologists to relax muscles during operations."
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.
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Word forms
- Plural
- curares
Fill the gap
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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.
