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cativo

noun

ca·​ti·​vo
kəˈtē(ˌ)vō
-və
variants or less commonly cautivo
kau̇ˈ-
plural -s
: a large tree (Prioria copaifera) of the family Leguminosae of Panama

Word History

Etymology

modification of American Spanish cativa, from Spanish, feminine of cativo captive, miserable, from Latin captivus captive

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Cite this Entry

“Cativo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cativo. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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