1
: an Australasian shrubby pepper (Piper methysticum) from whose crushed root an intoxicating beverage is made
also
: the beverage made from kava
2
: the dried rhizome and roots of the kava used especially as a dietary supplement chiefly to relieve stress and anxiety
Examples of kava in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There was fresh tuna and limpet poke, Burmese tea leaf salad, and lots of kava tea.
—
Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2024
At night, guests are invited to sit with the entire staff for a traditional taste of kava, a beverage made from water and the ground root of the pepper plant.
—David Hochman, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Talk to your healthcare provider before consuming kava.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2024
However, despite some evidence linking kava to a slight reduction in anxiety, the herbal supplement has been associated with a risk of severe liver injury.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for kava 
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Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2024
At night, guests are invited to sit with the entire staff for a traditional taste of kava, a beverage made from water and the ground root of the pepper plant.
—David Hochman, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Talk to your healthcare provider before consuming kava.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2024
However, despite some evidence linking kava to a slight reduction in anxiety, the herbal supplement has been associated with a risk of severe liver injury.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for kava
Dictionary Entries Near kava
Cite this Entry
“Kava.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kava. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
kava
noun
ka·va
ˈkäv-ə 
1
: an Australasian shrubby pepper (Piper methysticum) from whose crushed root an intoxicating beverage is made
also
: the beverage
2
: a preparation consisting of the ground dried rhizome and roots of the kava plant that is used as a dietary supplement chiefly to relieve stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness and in folk medicine especially as a diuretic and urogenital antiseptic and that has been linked to cases of severe liver injury
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