a water-soluble astringent resinous substance obtained from any of certain tropical plants, esp the leguminous tree Acacia catechu of S Asia, and used in medicine, tanning, and dyeing
See also gambier
Word origin
C17: probably from Malay kachu, of Dravidian origin
catechu in American English
(ˈkætəˌtʃu; ˈkætəˌkju)
noun
a hard, brown substance obtained from an Asiatic acacia (Acacia catechu) and other Asiatic trees and shrubs: used as an astringent in medicine, and for dyeing, tanning, etc.