bamboo
UK[bæmˈbuː]US[bæmˈbuː]
n
A tall tropical plant with hard, hollow stems that are used for building, making furniture, etc.
n
The stems of this plant used as a material.
Etymology
The word 'bamboo' entered English in the late 16th century, arriving via Dutch 'bamboes' and Portuguese 'bambu'. These European forms trace back to the Malay word 'mambu'. The ultimate origin is likely from a Dravidian language of the Indian subcontinent, possibly Kannada. The journey of the word reflects the material's introduction to Europe via colonial trade routes from Southeast Asia. As a loanword, its form is not analyzed into constituent morphemes within English, but its history encapsulates the global exchange of both the plant and its name.
Analysis
This word is a loanword and is not productively formed from separable English morphemes.
Examples
The panda sat contentedly munching on a stalk of bamboo.
They built a sustainable house using bamboo and recycled materials.
A gentle wind caused the bamboo grove to rustle softly.