the name of a large island of the Malay archipelago; used attrib. in specific names of animals or products of the island, as Sumatra benzoin, cat, dog, monkey (cf. SUMATRAN); Sumatra camphor, a kind of camphor found in the fissures and cavities of the tree Dryobalanops Camphora (aromatica), Borneo or Malay camphor; also attrib.
1875. Encycl. Brit., III. 581/1. In some specimens of *Sumatra benzoin cinnamic acid has been found entirely replacing benzoic acid.
1849. Balfour, Man. Bot., § 789. Dipterocarpaceæ, the *Sumatra-Camphor Family.
1858. Baird, Cycl. Nat. Sci., s.v. Camphora, Sumatra or Malay camphor.
1837. Partington’s Brit. Cycl. Nat. Hist., I. 744/1. The *Sumatra Cat. It does not appear that this species differs in any material degree from the former [sc. Java cat].
1822. Hardwicke, in Trans. Linn. Soc., XIII. 236. The ears of the *Sumatra Dog are more rounded.
1872. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., I. 92. The *Sumatra monkey.
b. (with large or small initial). A violent squall in the Straits of Malacca and the Malay peninsula, blowing from the direction of Sumatra.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXIII. 272/2. In this season [sc. March to September] the Sumatras … blow, especially in the first part of the night.
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 93/2. Rapid squalls (sumatras) also occur during the south-west monsoon.
