coumara nut

9.9

A fragrant black seed from the tonka bean tree used like vanilla in food and perfume

noun

: nuez de coumara

Perfume makers often use coumara nut extract to create sweet, fragrant scents.

Examples

The chef added a hint of coumara nut to the dessert for a unique vanilla flavor.
In traditional medicine, the coumara nut is valued for its aromatic properties.
The coumara nut has a sweet aroma.
Many chefs use coumara nuts in their desserts.
Perfume makers often use coumara nut extract to create sweet, fragrant scents.
In traditional medicine, the coumara nut is valued for its aromatic properties.
The chef added a hint of coumara nut to the dessert for a unique vanilla flavor.

Synonyms

tonka

vscoumara nut

Specialized

1 9.1

A seed from a South American tree used to add a sweet, vanilla-like smell in cooking and perfume

is broader also highlighting medicinal uses and vanilla substitution

tonka bean

vscoumara nut

Specialized

9.7

A fragrant black seed from a South American tree that gives perfumes and food a warm, sweet smell

focuses more on use as a vanilla substitute and in medicines

Surface Forms

coumara nut singular

coumara nuts plural

Morphology

coumara + nut

The phrase is a straightforward compound: 'coumara' (a plant name) + 'nut' (a seed), so if a learner knows 'coumara' as the plant and 'nut' as a seed they can infer it is the nut/seed of the coumara plant. The internal structure is compositional and follows a common noun-noun naming pattern. Note, however, that 'coumara' is an uncommon lexical item, so in practice many learners will not know the first constituent.

Etymology

Coumara nut may come from a local word for the tree, with coumara naming the tree and nut naming the dark seed that gives off a strong, sweet smell. Because perfumers and cooks used that black seed as a 'vanilla' substitute, the name now means a fragrant, black nut.