betel

noun be·tel \ ˈbē-tᵊl \

Definition of betel

: a climbing pepper (Piper betle) of southeastern Asia whose leaves are chewed together with betel nut and mineral lime as a stimulant masticatory

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Recent Examples of betel from the Web

Savory betel leaf wrapped around a simple yet tasty beef sausage and then charcoal-grilled — the charcoal grill adds a very deep flavor to the leaves — and finished off with a complex dipping sauce.

— veronica hinke, chicagotribune.com, "The best meal of 2017 – Chicago-area chefs describe their favorite bites," 14 Dec. 2017
There's been one reported case of Ohio schoolchildren chewing betel nuts.

— cleveland.com, "10 strangest things in Ohio's state budget bill," 13 July 2017
For drinks, Mr. Patel has rounded up natural and biodynamic wines, and has also collaborated with a local brewer, J. Wakefield, on a saison-style beer called Paan Wala, made with betel leaf, lemon verbena and mango from Mr. Patel’s farm.

— matthew kronsberg, New York Times, "In Miami, Working Fresh Local Ingredients Into Indian Dishes," 23 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'betel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.