🇵🇹Portuguese Source WordCode: PT

bétele

Pronunciation / Transliteration: ˈbɛ.tɛ.li

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Betel/ˈbiː.təl/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #14500 frequency
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🇵🇹 Example Sentence in Portuguese:

"O cáqui e o bétele são comuns nos mercados locais."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An Asian evergreen climbing plant of the pepper family, the leaves of which are wrapped around areca nuts and lime to form a popular masticatory in parts of Asia.

    "He purchased a bundle of fresh betel leaves from the local market stall."
  2. 2

    The leaf of this plant itself, commonly chewed as a stimulant and breath freshener.

    "Chewing betel is a traditional social custom deeply rooted in many Southeast Asian cultures."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word derives from the Portuguese 'betle', which borrowed it from Malayalam 'vettila', meaning simple leaf. It entered the English language in the late 16th century to describe the Asian evergreen vine whose leaves are chewed alongside areca nut.

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