‖ ˈarachis Bot.
[mod.L., ad. Gr. ἄραχος, ἄρακος, or ἀρακίς, some leguminous weed.]
A genus of leguminous plants, one of which is cultivated in warm countries, and known as the ground nut. Hence arachis oil, peanut oil; arachidic as in arachidic acid (C20 H40 O2), obtained from the oil of the ground nut.
| 1853 Mayne Expos. Lex. 80/2 Arachis. 1866 W. Odling Lect. Anim. Chem. 31 Monatomic Fatty Acid Series..C20H40O2 Arachidic. 1875 A. Gamgee tr. Hermann's Physiol. 13 The series of the fatty acids at present known includes..arachidic acid. 1876 Encycl. Brit. IV. 151/2 In some Leguminosæ, as Arachis, Cathartocarpus Fistula, and the Tamarind, the fruit must be considered a legume, although it does not dehisce. 1889 Cent. Dict. s.v., Arachis-oil, the oil expressed from the seeds of Arachis hypogæa, the fine limpid nut-oil of commerce. 1900 Sadtler Handbk. Industr. Org. Chem. (ed. 3) 50 Arachis oil (peanut oil, erdnuss oil){ddd}The best qualities..are used for table oil and the inferior grades for soap-making. 1916 Chambers's Jrnl. May 313/1 The arachis nut (popularly known as the ‘monkey nut’). |