Showing results for water locust.

water locust

American

noun

a spiny tree, Gleditsia aquatica, of the legume family, native to the southeastern coastal U.S., having pinnate leaves, greenish-yellow, bell-shaped flowers, and long-stalked, thin pods.

Etymology

Origin of water locust

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The water locust, Gleditsia aquatica Marsh., is found in river bottoms in southern Illinois, becoming a medium sized tree.

From Forest Trees of Illinois How to Know Them by Fuller George D.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023