the fruit of the betel palm, chewed with leaves of the betel pepper by some Southeast Asian peoples as a mild stimulant
Word origin
because chewed with betel pepper leaves
betel nut in American English
noun
the astringent kernel of the seed of the betel palm, chewed in many tropical regions in combination with slaked lime and the leaves of the betel plant
Also called: areca nut
Word origin
[1675–85]This word is first recorded in the period 1675–85. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: constitutional, denature, hustle, muscular, stoma