crambe

1 of 2

intransitive verb

-ed/-ing/-s
obsolete
: to play crambo

Crambe

2 of 2

noun

Cram·​be
ˈkrambē
1
: a genus of chiefly Old World, mostly annual herbs (family Cruciferae) having coarse lyrate leaves and panicled white flowers see sea kale
2
crambe plural crambes or crambe : any herb of the genus Crambe
especially : one (Crambe abyssinica) native to the Mediterranean region and cultivated as an oilseed crop
Researchers at the University of North Dakota are studying how to make diesel out of the oilseed crop crambe. Bismarck (North Dakota) Tribune, 24 Jan. 2009
Crambe is a drought-tolerant oilseed crop with viability throughout western North Dakota. The crop typically costs less to plant, fertilize and grow. Catherine Dominguez, San Antonio Business Journal, 29 Jan. 2009

Word History

Etymology

Intransitive verb

obsolete English crambe crambo

Noun

New Latin, from Latin, cabbage, from Greek krambē; akin to Late Greek krambos dry, withered

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near crambe

Cite this Entry

“Crambe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crambe. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!