cal·a·mus (k l  -ms)n. pl. cal·a·mi (-m   ) 1. a. See sweet flag. b. The aromatic underground stem of the sweet flag, yielding an oil used in perfumery. 2. Any of various chiefly tropical Asian climbing palms of the genus Calamus, having strong flexible stems used as a source of rattan. 3. See quill. [Latin, reed, from Greek kalamos.] |
calamus [ˈkæləməs]
n pl -mi [-ˌmaɪ]
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any tropical Asian palm of the genus Calamus, some species of which are a source of rattan and canes
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) another name for sweet flag
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) the aromatic root of the sweet flag
4. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) Ornithol the basal hollow shaft of a feather; quill
[from Latin, from Greek kalamos reed, cane, stem]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  calamus - any tropical Asian palm of the genus Calamus; light tough stems are a source of rattan canespalm tree, palm - any plant of the family Palmae having an unbranched trunk crowned by large pinnate or palmate leaves genus Calamus - distinctive often spiny-stemmed palms found as climbers in tropical and subtropical forest Calamus rotang, rattan, rattan palm - climbing palm of Sri Lanka and southern India remarkable for the great length of the stems which are used for malacca canes Calamus australis, lawyer cane - tall scrambling spiny palm of northeastern Queensland, Australia |
| 2. | calamus - the aromatic root of the sweet flag used medicinally flagroot, myrtle flag, sweet calamus, sweet flag, Acorus calamus, calamus - perennial marsh plant having swordlike leaves and aromatic roots root - (botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground | |
| 3. |  calamus - perennial marsh plant having swordlike leaves and aromatic rootsAcorus, genus Acorus - sweet flags; sometimes placed in subfamily Acoraceae calamus - the aromatic root of the sweet flag used medicinally calamus oil - carcinogenic oil from calamus root used as a perfume bog plant, marsh plant, swamp plant - a semiaquatic plant that grows in soft wet land; most are monocots: sedge, sphagnum, grasses, cattails, etc; possibly heath | |
| 4. | Calamus - a genus of Sparidae fish genus - any of various genus of fish family Sparidae, Sparidae - porgies; scups Calamus penna, sheepshead porgy - from Florida and Bahamas to Brazil | |
| 5. | calamus - the hollow spine of a feather feather, plumage, plume - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds rib - a riblike supporting or strengthening part of an animal or plant |
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