# curare

> English word · Noun · IPA /kjʊˈɹɑː.ɹi/

## Definitions
1. A plant, Strychnos toxifera, formerly used in arrow poisons in South America due to its D-tubocurarine content.
2. Other South American plants with similar toxins that were also used in arrow poisons, mostly in the family Menispermaceae.
3. A substance containing the alkaloid D-tubocurarine, used historically as a muscle relaxant during surgery.

## Etymology
From a Cariban language; compare Kari'na urari, Trió urari, wïrari, Akawaio urari, Pemon urari, Macushi urari, referring to various vines of genus Strychnos.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/curare