mucuna
mucuna Lexical Profile
• noun
Any of various tropical and subtropical climbing vines or shrubs of the genus Mucuna in the legume family, noted for their dense foliage and distinctive seed pods that are often covered in stinging hairs.
"The agronomist recommended planting mucuna as a cover crop to naturally restore nitrogen levels in the depleted soil."
The seed or bean of a plant belonging to the genus Mucuna (such as the velvet bean), which is sometimes utilized in agriculture for soil improvement or in traditional medicine.
"Researchers are studying the extracts of mucuna seeds because they contain significant naturally occurring concentrations of L-DOPA."
• Rhymes for mucuna
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English via Portuguese from the Tupi word 'mucunã', which refers to climbing vines of this genus.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.