cinchona

[sing-koh-nuh, sin-] /sɪŋˈkoʊ nə, sɪn-/

noun

any of several trees or shrubs of the genus Cinchona, of the madder family, especially C. calisaya, native to the Andes, cultivated there and in Java and India for its bark, which yields quinine and other alkaloids.

Also called Jesuit's bark, Peruvian bark. the medicinal bark of such trees or shrubs.

Origin

< Neo-Latin, the Linnaean genus name, after Francisca Enriques de Ribera, Countess of Chinchón (died 1641), who was associated with the introduction of quinine into Europe, in several accounts now considered spurious

Related forms

cinchonic

[sin-kon-ik] /sɪnˈkɒn ɪk/ (Show IPA), adjective

Examples from the web for cinchona

It was the bark of the cinchona tree, a close cousin of coffee.

British Dictionary definitions for cinchona

cinchona

/sɪŋˈkəʊnə/

noun

any tree or shrub of the South American rubiaceous genus Cinchona, esp C. calisaya, having medicinal bark

Also called cinchona bark, Peruvian bark, calisaya, china bark. the dried bark of any of these trees, which yields quinine and other medicinal alkaloids

any of the drugs derived from cinchona bark

Derived Forms

cinchonic (sɪŋˈkɒnɪk) adjective

Word Origin

C18: New Latin, named after the Countess of Chinchón (1576–1639), vicereine of Peru

cinchona in Medicine

cinchona cin·cho·na (sĭng-kō'nə, sĭn-chō'-)
n.

Any of several trees and shrubs of the genus Cinchona, native chiefly to the Andes and cultivated for bark that yields the medicinal alkaloids quinine and quinidine.
The dried bark of any of these plants.