Webster's English Dictionary

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derris

der.ris \'der-*s\ n [NL, genus name, fr. Gk, skin, fr. derein to skin - 
   more at TEAR] 1: any of a large genus (Derris) of leguminous tropical Old 
   World shr ubs and woody vines including sources of native fish and arrow 
   poisons and commercial sources of rotenone 2: a preparation of derris roots 
   and stems used as an insecticide