\Am"a*dou\, n. [F. amadou tinder, prop. lure, bait, fr.
amadouer to allure, caress, perh. fr. Icel. mata to feed,
which is akin to E. meat.]
A spongy, combustible substance, prepared from fungus
({Boletus} and {Polyporus}) which grows on old trees; German
tinder; punk. It has been employed as a styptic by surgeons,
but its common use is as tinder, for which purpose it is
prepared by soaking it in a strong solution of niter. --Ure.