strychnine: Meaning and Definition of

strych•nine

Pronunciation: (strik'nin, -nēn, -nīn), [key]
— n.
  1. a colorless, crystalline poison, CHNO, obtained chiefly by extraction from the seeds of nux vomica, formerly used as a central nervous system stimulant.
  2. an Indian tree, Strychnos nux-vomica, of the logania family, having small, yellowish-white flowers in clusters, berrylike fruit, and seeds that yield strychnine.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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