cinchona

noun

cin·​cho·​na siŋ-ˈkō-nə  sin-ˈchō- 

1

: any of a genus (Cinchona) of South American trees and shrubs of the madder family

2

: the dried bark of a cinchona (such as C. officinalis) containing alkaloids (such as quinine) and formerly used as a specific in malaria

Examples of cinchona in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Made up of two parts Aperol — a bitter whose core ingredients are gentian, rhubarb and cinchona — three parts prosecco and a dash of sparkling water, poured over a glass of ice and topped with an orange slice, the drink is viewed by devotees as the ideal antidote to sweltering weather. —Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2023

Tonic: Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water, made from the quinine-rich bark of Congolese cinchona trees, is beloved for its just-bitter-enough flavor and refined fizz. —Monica Khemsurov, New York Times, 28 July 2023

In 1865 a native braved execution to slip Bolivian cinchona seeds to a British trader. —The Economist, 16 Dec. 2020

Officials have even said that Indian plantations could increase the growing capacity of cinchona trees, whose bark contains the compound quinine, which has been used to treat malaria since the 1860s. —Washington Post, 19 May 2020

Its distinguishing feature is Aperol, a bright orange bitter Italian liqueur of gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona. —Alex Erdekian, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2020

The malaria drug chloroquine was developed from quinine, an alkaloid found in the bark of the cinchona tree, which grows in the tropical highlands of South America. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2020

These include cinchona bark (helps with digestion), chamomile (helps with relaxation), cinnamon (antioxidant, aphrodisiac), linden (more of the latter), iris (antiseptic), and saffron (energy and mood boost). —Washington Post, 13 Dec. 2019

North and South Kivu are home to the largest cinchona forests in the world. —The Economist, 8 June 2019

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from the countess of Chinchón †1641 wife of the Peruvian viceroy

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cinchona

noun

cin·​cho·​na siŋ-ˈkō-nə  sin-ˈchō- 

: any of a genus of South American trees and shrubs with bark containing substances (as quinine) that are used in treating malaria

Medical Definition

cinchona

noun

cin·​cho·​na siŋ-ˈkō-nə  sin-ˈchō- 

1

capitalized : a large genus of South American trees and shrubs of the madder family

2

: a tree of the genus Cinchona

3

: the dried bark of any of several trees of the genus Cinchona (especially C. ledgeriana and C. succirubra or their hybrids) containing alkaloids (as quinine, cinchonine, quinidine, and cinchonidine) and being used especially formerly as a specific in malaria, an antipyretic in other fevers, and a tonic and stomachic

called also cinchona bark, Jesuits' bark, Peruvian bark