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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



228 words match “TROPICAL”

SNAKEWOOD n.
A tropical American shrub (Plumieria rubra) which has very fragrant red blossoms.
SNAPPER n.
enus Lutjanus, abundant on the southern coasts of the United States and on both coasts of tropical America.
SNOOK n.
rine food fish (Centropomus undecimalis) found both on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of tropical America; -- called also ravallia, and robalo.
SNOWBERRY n.
carpus racemosus of the Northern United States, and the Chiococca racemosa of Florida and tropical America. Creeping snowberry. (Bot.) See under Creeping.
SONORAN a.
Upper Sonoran, which lies next to the Transition zone, and the Lower Sonoran, next to the Tropical.
SOOTY a.
- called also nellie. -- Sooty tern (Zoöl.), a tern (Sterna fuliginosa) found chiefly in tropical seas.
SOUARI NUT n.
The large edible nutlike seed of a tall tropical American tree (Caryocar nuciferum) of the same natural order with the tea plant; -- also called butternut. [Written also sawarra nut.]
SPANGLE v.
. Donne. What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty Shak. Spangled coquette (Zoöl.), a tropical humming bird (Lophornis reginæ). See Coquette, 2.
SPERM WHALE n.
sperm whale (Zoöl.), a small whale (Kogia breviceps), seldom twenty feet long, native of tropical seas, but occasionally found on the American coast. Called also snub-nosed cachalot. -- Sperm-whale porpoise (Zoöl.), a toothed cetacean (Hyperoödon bidens), found on both sides of the Atlantic and valued for its oil. Th…
SPONGE n.
ely divided lead; -- used in secondary batteries and otherwise. -- Sponge tree (Bot.), a tropical leguminous tree (Acacia Farnesiana), with deliciously fragrant flowers, which are used in perfumery. -- Toilet sponge, a very fine and superior variety of Mediterranean sponge (Spongia officinalis, variety Mediterranea);…
STAVEWOOD n.
A tall tree (Simaruba amara) growing in tropical America. It is one of the trees which yields quassia.
STERCULIACEOUS a.
or pertaining to a natural order (Sterculiaceæ) of polypetalous exogenous plants, mostly tropical. The cacao (Theobroma Cacao) is the most useful plant of the order.
STROPHANTHUS n.
A genus of tropical apocynaceous shrubs having singularly twisted flowers. One species (Strophanthus hispidus) is used medicinally as a cardiac sedative and stimulant.
STRYCHNOS n.
A genus of tropical trees and shrubs of the order Loganiaceæ. See Nux vomica.
SUPPLE-JACK n.
A somewhat similar tropical American plant (Paullinia Curassavica); also, a walking stick made from its stem. He was in form and spirit like a supple-jack, . . . yielding, but tough; though he bent, he never broke. W. Irving.
SWEETWEED n.
A name for two tropical American weeds (Capraria biflora, and Scoparia dulcis) of the Figwort family.
TACAMAHAC; TACAMAHACA n.
A bitter balsamic resin obtained from tropical American trees of the genus Elaphrium (E. tomentosum and E. Tacamahaca), and also from East Indian trees of the genus Calophyllum; also, the resinous exhudation of the balsam poplar.
TALIPOT n.
A beautiful tropical palm tree (Corypha umbraculifera), a native of Ceylon and the Malabar coast. It has a trunk sixty or seventy feet high, bearing a crown of gigantic fan-shaped leaves which are used as umbrellas and as fans in ceremonial processions, and, when cut into strips, as a substitute for writing paper.…
TAMANDU n.
A small ant-eater (Tamandua tetradactyla) native of the tropical parts of South America.
TAMARIND n.
A leguminous tree (Tamarindus Indica) cultivated both the Indies, and the other tropical countries, for the sake of its shade, and for its fruit. The trunk of the tree is lofty and large, with wide- spreading branches; the flowers are in racemes at the ends of the branches. The leaves are small and finely pinnated.…
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