[rhu.barb] n [ME rubarbe, fr. MF reubarbe, fr. ML reubarbarum, alter. of rha barbarum, lit., barbarian rhubarb] (15c) 1: any of a genus (Rheum) of Asian plants of the buckwheat family having large leaves with thick succulent petioles often used as food
2: the dried rhizome and roots of any of several rhubarbs grown in China and Tibet and used as a purgative and stomachic
3: a heated dispute or controversy