variants
or less commonly qat
or kat
: a shrub (Catha edulis) of the staff-tree family that is cultivated in the Middle East and Africa for its leaves and buds which are the source of a habituating stimulant when chewed or used as a tea
also
: its leaves and buds
Examples of khat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Federal customs officials at Washington Dulles Airport seized 139 pounds of Ethiopian khat, a plant chewed for its amphetamine-like effect, that was destined for Sacramento.
—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Cathinone is a stimulant that occurs naturally in khat, a plant native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and has a molecular structure nearly identical to that of amphetamine.
—
Jonathan Corum,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Some have gone further, publicly chewing khat on the campaign trail, a gesture that signals solidarity and which has become something of a ritual in Kenyan electoral cycles, with aspiring leaders competing to demonstrate the sincerity of their commitment to khat farmers and traders.
—
Joseph Maina,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
An in-depth view of the euphoria-inducing plant khat, the lives of those who harvest the crop in Harar, Ethiopia, and the people who are addicted to it.
—
Olivia McCormack,
Washington Post,
29 Aug. 2022
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Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Cathinone is a stimulant that occurs naturally in khat, a plant native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and has a molecular structure nearly identical to that of amphetamine.
—
Jonathan Corum,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Some have gone further, publicly chewing khat on the campaign trail, a gesture that signals solidarity and which has become something of a ritual in Kenyan electoral cycles, with aspiring leaders competing to demonstrate the sincerity of their commitment to khat farmers and traders.
—
Joseph Maina,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
An in-depth view of the euphoria-inducing plant khat, the lives of those who harvest the crop in Harar, Ethiopia, and the people who are addicted to it.
—
Olivia McCormack,
Washington Post,
29 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Khat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/khat. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
khat
noun
variants
also kat
or qat
or quat
: a shrub (Catha edulis) cultivated in the Middle East and Africa for its leaves and buds that are the source of a habituating stimulant when chewed or used as a tea
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