aloe
- any chiefly African shrub belonging to the genus Aloe, of the lily family, certain species of which yield a fiber.
- aloe vera.
- century plant.
- aloes, (used with a singular verb) agalloch.
Origin of aloe
agalloch
- the fragrant, resinous wood of an East Indian tree, Aquilaria agallocha, of the mezereum family, used as incense in Asia.
Origin of agalloch
Examples from the Web for aloes
Historical Examples of aloes
Nicodemus brought a large quantity of myrrh and aloes, about a hundredweight.
Jesus the ChristJames Edward Talmage
I laugh; I see they are the aloes only, planted here in rows along the road.
RitaLaura E. Richards
Aloes one grain-pill every hour will frequently stay in the stomach.
Zoonomia, Vol. IIErasmus Darwin
A pill of aloes and iron is one of the best that can be given.
Sleep tranquilly in your lairs amongst the aloes and the cactus!
Tartarin de TarasconAlphonse Daudet
aloes
- Also called: aloes wood another name for eaglewood
- bitter aloes a bitter purgative drug made from the leaves of several species of aloe
agalloch
- another name for eaglewood
Word Origin for agalloch
aloe
- any plant of the liliaceous genus Aloe, chiefly native to southern Africa, with fleshy spiny-toothed leaves and red or yellow flowers
- American aloe another name for century plant
Word Origin for aloe
Word Origin and History for aloes
aloe
Old English alewe "fragrant resin of an East Indian tree," a Biblical usage, from Latin aloe, from Greek aloe, translating Hebrew ahalim (plural, perhaps ultimately from a Dravidian language).
The Greek word probably was chosen for resemblance of sound to the Hebrew, because the Greek and Latin words referred originally to a genus of plants with spiky flowers and bitter juice, used as a purgative drug, a sense which appeared in English late 14c. The word was then misapplied to the American agave plant in 1680s. The "true aloe" consequently is called aloe vera.
aloe
(ăl′ō)- Any of various chiefly African plants of the genus Aloe, having rosettes of succulent, often spiny-margined leaves and long stalks bearing yellow, orange, or red tubular flowers.
- Aloe vera.
- Any of various laxative drugs obtained from the processed juice of a certain species of aloe.