ˈru:bɑ:b n. 1 a
any of
various plants of
the genus Rheum,
esp. R. rhaponticum, producing long
fleshy dark-red leaf-stalks used cooked as
food. b the leaf-stalks of
this. 2 a a root of a
Chinese and Tibetan plant of the genus Rheum. b a
purgative made from this. 3 a colloq. a murmurous
conversation or
noise, esp. the
repetition of the
word 'rhubarb' by
crowd actors. b sl.
nonsense;
worthless stuff. 4 US sl. a
heated dispute. [ME f. OF r(e)ubarbe,
shortening of med.L r(h)eubarbarum, alt. (by assoc.
with Gk rheon rhubarb) of rhabarbarum
foreign 'rha', ult. f. Gk
rha + barbaros foreign]