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

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