cebil
|ce-bil|
/ˈsɛbɪl/
South American tree (and its snuff-producing seeds)
Etymology
'cebil' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'cebil' (sometimes written 'cebíl'), where it was used as the local name for certain South American trees.
'cebil' entered English in the 19th century through botanical and anthropological reports by Spanish and European naturalists, keeping essentially the same form as the Spanish 'cebil'.
Initially it referred specifically to the tree; over time English usage also came to refer to the tree's seeds and the snuff prepared from them.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a South American tree (notably Anadenanthera colubrina and related species) whose seeds have traditionally been used to make an entheogenic snuff.
The shaman collected seeds from the cebil to prepare the ritual snuff.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the seeds of that tree, or a snuff or preparation made from those seeds (also referred to in some contexts as yopo or cohoba).
They inhaled cebil as part of the ritual.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/22 17:56