kava
noun
ka·va
| \ ˈkä-və
\
\
Definition of kava
1
: an Australasian shrubby pepper (Piper methysticum) from whose crushed root an intoxicating beverage is made
also
: the beverage made from kava
2
: the dried rhizome and roots of the kava used especially as a dietary supplement chiefly to relieve stress and anxiety
Examples of kava in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Others include ‘awa (kava), kukui (candlenut), mai‘a (banana), niu (coconut), ‘uala (sweet potato), and ‘ulu (breadfruit). — National Geographic, "Gordon Ramsay Journeys Along Hawaii’s Hana Coast," 2 July 2019 Gather inside the community house for a kava ceremony with the village elders. — National Geographic, "Fiji High School Community Service," 12 June 2019 The chain, with five South Florida locations as well as spots in New York City and Denver, serves kava in coconut shells. — Dan Sweeney, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Kavasutra Kava Bar serves its libations with a side of sexism and transphobia that has social media enraged," 10 July 2018 The muddy-brown drink is made from the crushed roots of the kava plant and produces a mild sedative effect. — Dan Sweeney, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Kavasutra Kava Bar serves its libations with a side of sexism and transphobia that has social media enraged," 10 July 2018 Imbibing is not as easy as visiting a bar, however: The tradition of kava and grog involves ceremony and storytelling, and a few hours of making new friends. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Islands in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards," 9 Oct. 2018 Please make sure the views of Kavasutra do not brand the kava community as a whole. — Dan Sweeney, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Kavasutra Kava Bar pushes back at charges of hate speech, both online and in person, where things got physical," 12 July 2018 His wife, Elexa, admitted to throwing kava on them. — Dan Sweeney, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Kavasutra Kava Bar pushes back at charges of hate speech, both online and in person, where things got physical," 12 July 2018 One of these post-midnight searches led me to Anima Mundi's Lucid Dreaming Tea, which purportedly promotes sleep and dreams with a potent blend of herbs like ashwagandha, kava, and calea. — The Healthyish Team, Bon Appetit, "The Healthyish Guide to Finally Getting a Good Night's Sleep," 29 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kava.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for kava
kava
noun
ka·va
| \ ˈkäv-ə
\
\
Medical Definition of kava
1
: an Australasian shrubby pepper (Piper methysticum) from whose crushed root an intoxicating beverage is made
also
: the beverage
2
: a preparation consisting of the ground dried rhizome and roots of the kava plant that is used as a dietary supplement chiefly to relieve stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness and in folk medicine especially as a diuretic and urogenital antiseptic and that has been linked to cases of severe liver injury