aloe

[ al-oh ]

noun,plural al·oes.
  1. any chiefly African shrub belonging to the genus Aloe, of the lily family, certain species of which yield a fiber.

  1. aloes, (used with a singular verb) agalloch.

Origin of aloe

1
First recorded before 950; Middle English alōe, alow, alewen; Old English al(u)we, alewe (compare Old Saxon, Old High German āloê ), from Latin aloē, from Greek alóē, perhaps from South Asia via Hebrew

Other words from aloe

  • al·o·et·ic [al-oh-et-ik], /ˌæl oʊˈɛt ɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby aloe

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

How to use aloe in a sentence

  • Amenities are plentiful—from sun block to aloe for the sun, or the complimentary mini bar for your enjoyment.

    Gal With a Suitcase | Jolie Hunt | February 20, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Before you go, Helena, favour us with the names of the fine ladies who cheated this old gardener out of his aloe.

  • There are no walls, but great hedges of aloe and prickly pear serve as a sterner landmark.

    The Isle of Unrest | Henry Seton Merriman
  • The northern kingdom was symbolised by the snake and papyrus, the southern kingdom by the vulture and aloe.

  • A fringe lace is made on the Riviera, of the fibres of the aloe, and is called “macramè,” which is an Arabic word.

    Needlework As Art | Marian Alford
  • These poles were the flower stalks of the great American aloe, or maguey-plant—the only thing resembling wood that grew near.

    The Hunters' Feast | Mayne Reid

British Dictionary definitions for aloe

aloe

/ (ˈæləʊ) /


nounplural -oes
  1. any plant of the liliaceous genus Aloe, chiefly native to southern Africa, with fleshy spiny-toothed leaves and red or yellow flowers

  2. American aloe another name for century plant

Origin of aloe

1
C14: from Latin aloē, from Greek

Derived forms of aloe

  • aloetic (ˌæləʊˈɛtɪk), adjective

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