okra
UK /ˈɒkɹə/ · US /ˈoʊkɹə/ noun
Forms okras okry occra occro ochra ochre ochro ochroe ockro ocra ocre ocro okero okree okro okwa
- noun The edible immature mucilaginous seed pod (properly, capsule) of the Abelmoschus esculentus.
- noun The flowering mallow plant Abelmoschus esculentus itself, now commonly grown in the tropics and warmer parts of the temperate zones.
Synonyms
ladies' fingers bandikai bhindi gumbo ladyfinger okra plant lady's-finger Abelmoschus esculentus Hibiscus esculentus
Etymology
From an unknown West African language, probably Igbo ọ́kụ̀rụ̀ but cf. Akan ŋkrũmã and ŋkrakra (“broth”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun An annual plant (Abelmoschus, or Hibiscus, esculentus), whose green pods, abounding in nutritious mucilage, are much used for soups, stews, or pickles; gumbo. [Written also ocra and ochra.]
- noun A suffix denoting that the substance in the name of which it appears belongs to the series of alcohols or hydroxyl derivatives, as carbinol, glycerol, etc.
Etymology [From alcohol.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “okra”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details