from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Guinea \Guin"ea\ (g[i^]n"[-e]), n.
1. A district on the west coast of Africa (formerly noted for
its export of gold and slaves) after which the Guinea
fowl, Guinea grass, Guinea peach, etc., are named.
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2. A gold coin of England current for twenty-one shillings
sterling, or about five dollars, but not coined since the
issue of sovereigns in 1817.
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The guinea, so called from the Guinea gold out of
which it
was first struck, was proclaimed in 1663, and to go
for twenty shillings; but it never went for less
than twenty-one shillings. --Pinkerton.
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{Guinea corn}. (Bot.) See {Durra}.
{Guinea Current} (Geog.), a current in the Atlantic Ocean
setting southwardly into the Bay of Benin on the coast of
Guinea.
{Guinea dropper} one who cheats by dropping counterfeit
guineas. [Obs.] --Gay.
{Guinea fowl}, {Guinea hen} (Zool.), an African gallinaceous
bird, of the genus {Numida}, allied to the pheasants. The
common domesticated species ({Numida meleagris}), has a
colored fleshy horn on each aide of the head, and is of a
dark gray color, variegated with small white spots. The
crested Guinea fowl ({Numida cristata}) is a finer
species.
{Guinea grains} (Bot.), grains of Paradise, or amomum. See
{Amomum}.
{Guinea grass} (Bot.), a tall strong forage grass ({Panicum
jumentorum}) introduced. from Africa into the West Indies
and Southern United States.
{Guinea-hen flower} (Bot.), a liliaceous flower ({Fritillaria
Meleagris}) with petals spotted like the feathers of the
Guinea hen.
{Guinea peach}. See under {Peach}.
{Guinea pepper} (Bot.), the pods of the {Xylopia aromatica},
a tree of the order {Anonace[ae]}, found in tropical West
Africa. They are also sold under the name of {Piper
aethiopicum}.
{Guinea plum} (Bot.), the fruit of {Parinarium excelsum}, a
large West African tree of the order {Chrysobalane[ae]},
having a scarcely edible fruit somewhat resembling a plum,
which is also called {gray plum} and {rough-skin plum}.
{Guinea worm} (Zool.), a long and slender African nematoid
worm ({Filaria Medinensis}) of a white color. It lives in
the cellular tissue of man, beneath the skin, and produces
painful sores.
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