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ratoon (ra-TOON) - n., a new sprout growing from the root of a plant, esp. sugarcane, after it has been cropped. v.i., to sprout ratoons. v.t., to cut a plant, esp. sugarcane, so as to cause ratoons.
Sugarcane, being a grass, ratoons well, which helps with regrowing the crop. There are fields in Fujian Province, China, that have been continuously ratooned since the 18th century. Adopted around 1630 from Spanish retoño, sprout, from retoñar, to sprout, from re-, again (from Latin) + otoñar, to grow in autumn, from otoño, autumn, from Latin autumnus.
And that's a week of sugared words. Back next week with the usual blandishments.
---L.
Sugarcane, being a grass, ratoons well, which helps with regrowing the crop. There are fields in Fujian Province, China, that have been continuously ratooned since the 18th century. Adopted around 1630 from Spanish retoño, sprout, from retoñar, to sprout, from re-, again (from Latin) + otoñar, to grow in autumn, from otoño, autumn, from Latin autumnus.
And that's a week of sugared words. Back next week with the usual blandishments.
---L.
