Cassia
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The spice made from the bark of members of the genus Cinnamomum other than true cinnamon (C. verum), when they are distinguished from cinnamon. uncountable
- 2 Chinese tree with aromatic bark; yields a less desirable cinnamon than Ceylon cinnamon wordnet
- 3 Such trees themselves, particularly the Chinese cinnamon, Cinnamomum cassia. countable
"The Daughters of the Flood have ſearch'd the Mead / For Violets pale, and cropt the Poppy's Head: / The Short Narciſſus and fair Daffodil, / Pancies to pleaſe the Sight, and Caſſia ſvveet to ſmell: […]"
- 4 any of various trees or shrubs of the genus Cassia having pinnately compound leaves and usually yellow flowers followed by long seedpods wordnet
- 5 Any of several tropical leguminous plants, of the genus Cassia. countable
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- 6 Any of several tropical leguminous plants, of the genus Senna. countable
- 7 The sweet osmanthus (O. fragrans). countable
Example
More examples"The Daughters of the Flood have ſearch'd the Mead / For Violets pale, and cropt the Poppy's Head: / The Short Narciſſus and fair Daffodil, / Pancies to pleaſe the Sight, and Caſſia ſvveet to ſmell: […]"
Etymology
From Latin cassia (“cinnamon”), from Ancient Greek κασσία, κασία, κάσια (kassía, kasía, kásia), from Hebrew קְצִיעָה (qəṣīʿā), from Aramaic קְצִיעֲתָא (qəṣīʿătā), from קְצַע (qṣaʿ, “to cut off”). Compare Kezia.
Related phrases
More for "cassia"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.