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ailanthus

[ ey-lan-thuhs ]
/ eɪˈlæn θəs /
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noun, plural ai·lan·thus·es.
any tree belonging to the genus Ailanthus, of the quassia family, especially A. altissima, widely grown in cities.
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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

OTHER WORDS FROM ailanthus

ai·lan·thic, adjective

Words nearby ailanthus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ailanthus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ailanthus

ailanthus
/ (eɪˈlænθəs) /

noun plural -thuses
an E Asian simaroubaceous deciduous tree, Ailanthus altissima, planted in Europe and North America, having pinnate leaves, small greenish flowers, and winged fruitsAlso called: tree of heaven

Word Origin for ailanthus

C19: New Latin, from native name (in Amboina) ai lanto tree (of) the gods
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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