noun
also pi·as·sa·ba or pi·a·sa·va or pi·a·sa·ba ˌpēəˈsävə, -äbə
( -s )
Etymology: Portuguese piassaba, from Tupi piaçaba
1. : a coarse brown fiber that invests the bases of the leaf sheaths of a Brazilian palm and is used in making ropes, mats, and brushes ; also : the palm ( Attalea funifera ) that bears this fiber and yields the coquilla nut
2. : a fiber from a Brazilian palm ( Leopoldinia piassaba ) common along the Amazon river ; also : the tree yielding this fiber
3. : the stiff coarse base fiber of an African palm ( Raphia vinifera )
4. : coarse fiber derived from any of several palms (as tucum, gomuti, and hemp palm)