1. a poisonous resin extracted from certain South American plants, traditionally used by indigenous peoples to poison arrows and blowgun darts
Usage: also spelled curare; historically used in hunting and warfare; studied in medical research for muscle relaxant properties

Examples

• The indigenous hunters coated their arrows with curara to paralyze their prey.
• Curara was derived from tropical vines found in the Amazon rainforest.
• Scientists studied curara to understand how it affects the nervous system.
• The poison curara works by blocking nerve signals to muscles.
• Early explorers documented the use of curara by native tribes.