ailanthus

American  

[ey-lan-thuhs] / eɪˈlæn θəs /

noun

ailanthuses plural

1. any tree belonging to the genus Ailanthus, of the quassia family, especially A. altissima, widely grown in cities.

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ailanthus British  

/ eɪˈlænθəs /

noun

1. Also called: tree of heaven.  an E Asian simaroubaceous deciduous tree, Ailanthus altissima, planted in Europe and North America, having pinnate leaves, small greenish flowers, and winged fruits

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ailanthic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ailanthuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ailanthus

1788; < New Latin Ailantus, Ailanthus ( th by association with Greek ánthos flower) < Central Moluccan ai lanit ( o ), ai lanit ( e ), equivalent to ai tree, wood + lanit sky + -o, -e a definite article

Example Sentences

The lanternflies’ favorite tree, Ailanthus altissima—which is native to areas the bugs came from—tends to grow near railroad tracks.

From Scientific American • Sep. 17, 2021

Chief among them turns out to be the Ailanthus altissima, otherwise known as the Tree of Heaven, otherwise known as the tree at the center of the 1943 novel “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”

From New York Times • Sep. 16, 2021

In the meantime, poor compacted soils are a welcome mat for invasive plants like Japanese knotweed and Ailanthus.

From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2011

With its capacity to spring up seemingly anywhere without water or barely any soil, Ailanthus altissima is considered a bullying weed that upsets the ecological order.

From Washington Post • Jun. 14, 2010

The light has shifted now and the Ailanthus tree has turned to a shadow in the dusk.

From "Harbor Me" by Jacqueline Woodson