sesamum

See also: Sesamum

English

Etymology

From Latin

Noun

sesamum (uncountable)

  1. (archaic) sesame
    • 1760, Robert Kerr, A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 1:
      While at play for this extraordinary stake, they have a fire by them, on which a small pot of walnut oil, or oil of sesamum, is kept boiling; and when one has won a game, he chops off the end of the loser's finger, who immediately dips the stump into the boiling oil, to stem the blood; and some will persist so obstinately, as to have all their fingers thus mutilated.
    • 1896, Edward Washburn Hopkins, The Religions of India:
      The latter is called the feast of 'six sesamum acts,' for sesamum is a holy plant, and in each act of this rite it plays a part.
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.