Peruvian rhatany noun
- See under rhatany(def 1).
rhatany [rat-n-ee] noun, plural rhat·a·nies.
- either of two South American shrubs belonging to the genus Krameria, of the legume family, K. tiandra (knotty rhatany or Peruvian rhatany) or K. argentea (Brazilian rhatany or Pará rhatany).
- the root of either of these plants, used as an astringent and tonic in medicine and also to color port wine.
Origin of rhatany 1800–10; New Latin rhatania American Spanish rataña Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 British Dictionary definitions for peruvian rhatany rhatany noun plural -nies
- either of two South American leguminous shrubs, Krameria triandra or K. argentea, that have thick fleshy roots
- the dried roots of such shrubs used as an astringent
Also called: krameria Word Origin for rhatany C19: from New Latin rhatānia, ultimately from Quechua ratánya Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012