Quinine
/ˈkwaɪ.naɪn/noun
A bitter alkaloid derived from cinchona bark, used to treat malaria.
Did you know?Quinine comes from cinchona bark, and the bark’s name was famously linked to the Countess of Chinchón, though that origin story is debated by historians.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
Spanish
quina
“Peruvian bark, especially bark used as a medicine against fevers”
17th Century
Spanish
cinchona
“The cinchona tree, named in honor of the Countess of Chinchón in traditional accounts”
19th Century
French
quinine
“The bitter antimalarial alkaloid isolated from cinchona bark”
Modern English
English
quinine
“A bitter crystalline alkaloid used in medicine and flavoring”
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