bamboo

== English == === Alternative forms === bambou, bambu (obsolete) === Etymology === Borrowed from Dutch bamboe, from Portuguese bambu, from Malay bambu, from Kannada ಬಂಬು (bambu), variant form of ಬೇವು (bēvu). Cognate with Malayalam വേപ്പ് (vēppŭ), Telugu వేప (vēpa), from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu (“neem”). === Pronunciation === enPR: băm-bo͞oʹ, IPA(key): /bæmˈbu/ (Indic, Philippines) IPA(key): /ˈbambu/ === Noun === bamboo (countable and uncountable, plural bamboos) A fast-growing grass of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterised by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem. (uncountable) The wood of the bamboo plant as a material for building, furniture, etc. (countable) A stick, rod, pole, or cane of bamboo, especially one used for corporal punishment. (slang) A didgeridoo. (slang) A member of the British military or British East India Company who spent so much time in Indonesia, India, or Malaysia that they never went back home. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Albanian: bambu → Finnish: bambu → Greek: μπαμπού (bampoú) → Guugu Yimidhirr: bambu → Russian: бамбу́к (bambúk) (or Dutch bamboe or French bambou) (see there for further descendants) → Translingual: Bambusa, Bambos → Welsh: bambŵ ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === bamboo (not comparable) Made of the wood of the bamboo. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === bamboo (third-person singular simple present bamboos, present participle bambooing, simple past and past participle bambooed) (transitive) To flog with a bamboo cane. (transitive) To paint (furniture, etc.) to give it the appearance of bamboo. (India, slang) To penetrate sexually. == Gooniyandi == === Noun === bamboo didgeridoo == Mandinka == === Noun === bamboo crocodile