different between kudzu vs arrowroot

English

Etymology

From Japanese ?? (?, kuzu). The spelling kudzu (instead of kuzu) is due to historical transliteration methods of Japanese into English.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?k?d.zu?/

Noun

kudzu (usually uncountable, plural kudzus)

1. An Asian vine (several species in the genus Pueraria, but mostly Pueraria montans var. lobata, syn. Pueraria lobata in the US), grown as a root starch, and which is a notorious invasive weed in the United States.

   Synonyms: Japanese arrowroot, mile-a-minute

Usage notes

• The kudzu invasive in the US apparently includes natural hybrids of four species of Pueraria: Pueraria montana, Pueraria edulis, Pueraria phaseoloides, and Pueraria tuberosa

Translations

Derived terms

• kudzu bug
• kudzu powder
• kudzu tea

Further reading

• kudzu on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Etymology

From Arawak aru-aru (literally “meal of meals”), influenced by arrow +? root because the plant’s “roots” (more accurately rhizomes) are used on wounds from poison darts to absorb the poison.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?æ??(?)?u?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?æ?o???ut/
• Hyphenation: ar?row?root

Noun

arrowroot (countable and uncountable, plural arrowroots)

1. (countable, uncountable) Maranta arundinacea from the Marantaceae family, a large perennial herb native to the Caribbean area with green leaves about 15 centimeters long. [from late 17th c.]
2. (countable, uncountable) Usually preceded by an attributive word: some other plant the rhizomes of which are used to prepare a substance similar to arrowroot (sense 3), such as Zamia integrifolia (Florida arrowroot) or Pueraria montana var. lobata (Japanese arrowroot or kudzu).
3. (uncountable) A starchy substance obtained from the rhizomes of an arrowroot plant used as a thickener.

Alternative forms

• arrow-root

Derived terms

Translations

Notes

References

Further reading

• arrowroot on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Maranta arundinacea on Wikispecies.Wikispecies