arrow-root

noun

1. Maranta arundinacea from the Marantaceae family, a large perennial herb native to the Caribbean area with green leaves about 15 centimeters long.
2. Usually preceded by an attributive word: some other plant the rhizomes of which are used to prepare a substance similar to arrowroot (sense 3), such as Zamia integrifolia (Florida arrowroot) or Pueraria montana var. lobata (Japanese arrowroot or kudzu).
3. A starchy substance obtained from the rhizomes of an arrowroot plant used as a thickener.