yaupon

Where does the word "yaupon" come from? It comes from Catawban yą́pą, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).

Yaupon’s story begins in Catawban: yą́pą meant “a small tree, or its leaf.” Combined a word for 'tree' and 'leaf', naming a caffeinated holly shrub used for tea. It reached English by 1700s as yaupon. Catawba 'yą́pą', little tree; the Timucua and other peoples brewed it as the 'black drink'. Today, yaupon means a holly shrub native to the southeastern U.S., one of the few North American plants that naturally produces caffeine, used to brew tea.

1. Stage 1 · Catawban · pre-1700s yą́pą "a small tree, or its leaf", combined a word for 'tree' and 'leaf', naming a caffeinated holly shrub used for tea.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1700s yaupon "a holly shrub whose leaves are brewed into a caffeinated tea", Catawba 'yą́pą', little tree; the Timucua and other peoples brewed it as the 'black drink'.