areca n 1: any of several tall tropical palms native to southeastern Asia having egg-shaped nuts
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]