Amadou

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Amadou \Am"a*dou\, n. [F. amadou tinder, prop. lure, bait, fr.
     amadouer to allure, caress, perh. fr. Icel. mata to feed,
     which is akin to E. meat.]
     A spongy, combustible substance, prepared from fungus
     ({Boletus} and {Polyporus}) which grows on old trees; German
     tinder; punk. It has been employed as a styptic by surgeons,


     but its common use is as tinder, for which purpose it is
     prepared by soaking it in a strong solution of niter. --Ure.
     [1913 Webster]