Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Cassia

Cas′sia

(kăsh′ȧ)
,
Noun.
[L.
cassia
and
casia
, Gr.
κασσία
and
κασία
; of Semitic origin; cf. Heb.
qetsīāh
, fr.
qātsa’
to cut off, to peel off.]
1.
(Bot.)
A genus of leguminous plants (herbs, shrubs, or trees) of many species, most of which have purgative qualities. The leaves of several species furnish the senna used in medicine.
2.
The bark of several species of
Cinnamomum
grown in China, etc.; Chinese cinnamon. It is imported as
cassia
, but commonly sold as cinnamon, from which it differs more or less in strength and flavor, and the amount of outer bark attached.
☞ The medicinal “cassia” (Cassia pulp) is the laxative pulp of the pods of a leguminous tree (
Cassia fistula
or Pudding-pipe tree), native in the East Indies but naturalized in various tropical countries.
Cassia bark
,
the bark of
Cinnamomum cassia
, etc. The coarser kinds are called
Cassia lignea
, and are often used to adulterate true cinnamon.
–
Cassia buds
,
the dried flower buds of several species of cinnamon (
Cinnamomum cassia
, atc..).
–
Cassia oil
,
oil extracted from cassia bark and cassia buds; – called also
oil of cinnamon
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Cassia

CASSIA

,
Noun.
A genus of plants of many species, among which are the fistula, or purging cassia, and the senna. The former is a native of Egypt and both Indies; the latter is a native of Persia, Syria and Arabia. The latter is a shrubby plant, the leaves of which are much used in medicine. The purging cassia is the pulp of the pods, and is a gentle laxative.
Cassia is also the name of a species of Laurus, the bark of which usually passes under the name of cinnamon, differing from real cinnamon chiefly in the strength of its qualities. From a plant of this kind was extracted an aromatic oil, used as a perfume by the Jews.

Definition 2024

Cassia

Cassia

See also: cassia and Cássia

Translingual

Cassia xnealii

Proper noun

Cassia f

  1. A taxonomic genus within the family Fabaceae – the cassia trees.

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

See also

cassia

cassia

See also: Cassia and Cássia

English

A cassia flower

Noun

cassia ‎(countable and uncountable, plural cassias or cassiæ)

  1. (uncountable) The spice made from the bark of members of the genus Cinnamomum other than true cinnamon (C. verum), when they are distinguished from cinnamon.
  2. (countable) Such trees themselves, particularly the Chinese cinnamon, Cinnamomum cassia.
  3. (countable) Any of several tropical leguminous plants, of the genus Cassia.
  4. (countable) Any of several tropical leguminous plants, of the genus Senna.
  5. (countable, mistranslation from Chinese) The sweet osmanthus (O. fragrans).

Usage notes

Cassia is typically marketed in American English as "cinnamon" but is typically distinguished from Sri Lankan cinnamon in Europe. The oil content of the bark of the Saigon cinnamon is actually superior to that of true cinnamon, but Chinese cassia and Indonesian cinnamon have somewhat less.

Sweet osmanthus and cassia were both formerly 桂 in Chinese and the character is often translated as "cassia", owing to its greater importance in modern international trade; however, it is generally the sweet-smelling osmanthus that is meant.

See also

References

  1. ↑ William R. Taylor, exegesis on Psalms, The Interpreter's Bible, 1955, Volume IV, page 235

Latin

Alternative forms

  • casia

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κάσια ‎(kásia), from Hebrew קציעה ‎(QeTsi`aH), from Aramaic[1]. Compare Kezia.

Pronunciation

Noun

cassia f ‎(genitive cassiae); first declension

  1. cinnamon
  2. another aromatic shrub, possibly marjoram

Inflection

First declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative cassia cassiae
genitive cassiae cassiārum
dative cassiae cassiīs
accusative cassiam cassiās
ablative cassiā cassiīs
vocative cassia cassiae

Synonyms

References

  1. ↑ William R. Taylor, exegesis on Psalms, The Interpreter's Bible, 1955, Volume IV, page 235

Etymology

Latin cassia ‎(“cinnamon”)

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