Carobs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of tree native to the Mediterranean region, known for its edible pods that are often used as a chocolate substitute
2. The dried pods of a carob tree, which can be ground into powder for culinary applications or eaten directly
3. A leguminous plant historically cultivated for its sweet, nutritious pods, which can be used in health foods and animal feed

Etymology: "Carobs" is the plural of "carob", the name of the pod-bearing tree and of the dried, sweet pods it yields. The noun came into English from Middle French "carobe", which in turn was borrowed from Arabic "ḵarrūb", a word that had itself passed through Classical Syriac "ḥarrūḇā". The chain of borrowing shows how far the name travelled with the trade in these pods across the Mediterranean and the Near East. The word's history therefore runs through several languages before reaching English, and each step kept the core sound of the original while adapting it to local speech. The tree itself is native to the eastern Mediterranean, and its name moved westward along with the plant.

Synonyms: locust beans, carob pods, ceratonia, sweet pods, hardy legumes