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witgat

noun
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wit·​gat | \ ˈwitˌgat \
variants: or witgatboom \ -​ˌbüm \
plural -s

Definition of witgat

: a South African shrub or tree (Boscia albitrunca) of the family Caparidaceae having white hard close-grained wood and roots that are roasted as a coffee substitute

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History and Etymology for witgat

witgat from Afrikaans, short for witgatboom, literally, white hole tree, from Middle Dutch wit white + gat hole, opening + boom tree; akin to Old English hwīt white, gæt opening, bēam tree

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Cite this Entry

“Witgat.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witgat. Accessed 9 December 2019.

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