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

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 2018 While kava bars have been common in Hawaii and parts of southern Florida since the early 2000s, New York didn’t have a kava bar until 2015. — Zach Montague, New York Times, "Stressed New Yorkers Take to Kava, ‘Nature’s Xanax’," 21 Dec. 2017 This numbness happens quickly and is the first of kava’s effects. — Rachelle Robinett, Bon Appetit, "This Anxiety-Relieving Drink Wants to Be Your New Glass of Wine," 3 Apr. 2017 Their most popular is kava, which is a root grown in the Pacific Islands. — Kayla O'brien, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Kava bar helps relax the stressed," 13 Oct. 2017

These 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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The first known use of kava was in 1810

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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