bamboo

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A fast-growing grass of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterised by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem.
2. (uncountable) The wood of the bamboo plant as a material for building, furniture, etc.
3. (countable) A stick, rod, pole, or cane of bamboo, especially one used for corporal punishment.
4. (countable, slang, uncountable) A didgeridoo.
5. (countable, slang, uncountable) A member of the British military or British East India Company who spent so much time in Indonesia, India, or Malaysia that they never went back home.

Adj

Made of the wood of the bamboo.

Verb

1. (transitive) To flog with a bamboo cane.
2. (transitive) To paint (furniture, etc.) to give it the appearance of bamboo.
3. (India, slang) To penetrate sexually.

Synonyms

conduit

wicker

hat

👒

arrow

spearshaft

cane

dipper

fence

chest

mats

metal

🤘

middle

net

pipe

ratan

rattan

tree

🌳

twig

wattles

bowl

bamboo cane

common bamboo

black

Translations

bambou

🎍

Bambus

🎍

bambù

🎍

bambú

🎍

bamboe

🎍

bambu

🎍

taboca

🎍

bambú

🎍

μπαμπού

bambu

🎍

Bambusrohr

ινδοκάλαμο

Bambusa

cana-brava

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bæmˈbu/

Etymology

Cognate with Malayalam: വേപ്പ്

Cognate with Telugu: వేప

In summary

Etymology tree
Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu
Tamil வேம்பு (vēmpu)bor.
Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu
Kannada ಬಂಬು (bambu)bor.
Malay bambubor.
Portuguese bambubor.
Dutch bamboebor.
English bamboo
Borrowed from Dutch bamboe, from Portuguese bambu, from Malay bambu, from Kannada ಬಂಬು (bambu), variant form of ಬೇವು (bēvu). Cognate with Malayalam വേപ്പ് (vēppŭ), Telugu వేప (vēpa), from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu (“neem”).