betel

From Tamil வெற்றிலை (veṟṟilai), from [script needed] (vettr, “variety”) + இலை (ilai, “leaf”).[1]

betel (usually uncountable, plural betels)

1. Either of two plants often used in combination:
   1. an evergreen Indian creeping shrub, Piper betle, whose dried leaves are chewed with betel nut: the betel pepper
   2. the seed of the betel palm, Areca catechu: the betel nut
   • 1958, R. K. Narayan, The Guide, Penguin, 1988, p. 194,

     Her face was flushed with the tingling effect of betel leaves.

2. A quid (chewing preparation) containing these and other plant materials; paan.
   • 1934, George Orwell, chapter 1, in Burmese Days‎:

     He went to the rail to spit out a scarlet mouthful of betel […]

   • 2002, Vātsyāyana, Kama Sutra, translated by Wendy Doniger and Sudhir Kakar, Oxford University Press, 3.3.16, pp. 83-84,

     Within the range of his powers, he sends her, secretly, […] cosmetics such as red lac, red arsenic, yellow arsenic, red mercury sulphide, and black collyrium; sandalwood paste and saffron; and, in course of time, areca nuts and betel leaves for betel.

• areca
• paan

• let be

Borrowed from Portuguese bétele/bétel, from Tamil வெற்றிலை (veṟṟilai).

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeː.təl/

• Audio

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• Hyphenation: be‧tel
• Rhymes: -eːtəl

betel f (plural betels)

1. betel
   1. betel vine, Piper betle

      Synonym: betelpeper

   2. betel palm, Areca catechu

      Synonyms: betelboom, betelpalm

• betelblad
• betelboom
• betelnoot
• betelpalm
• betelpeper

betel (invariable)

1. (betel is the leaf of vine Piper betle - Piperaceae family)