Areca catechu n 1: southeastern Asian palm bearing betel nuts (scarlet or orange single-seeded fruit with a fibrous husk) [syn: {betel palm}, {Areca catechu}]
Areca \A*re"ca\, n. [Canarese adiki: cf. Pg. & Sp. areca.] (Bot.) A genus of palms, one species of which ({Areca catechu}) produces the areca nut, or betel nut, which is chewed in India and Southeast Asia with the leaf of the {Piper Betle} and lime. [1913 Webster +PJC]