arbor vitae

American  

[ahr-ber vahy-tee] / ˈɑr bər ˈvaɪ ti /

noun

Anatomy.

1. a treelike appearance in a vertical section of the cerebellum, due to the arrangement of the white and gray nerve tissues.

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arbor vitae British  

/ ˈvaɪtiː, ˈɑːbɔː ˈviːtaɪ /

noun

1. any of several Asian and North American evergreen coniferous trees of the genera Thuja and Thujopsis, esp Thuja occidentalis, having tiny scalelike leaves and egglike cones See also red cedar

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Etymology

Origin of arbor vitae

C17: from New Latin, literally: tree of life

Example Sentences

Greenery is supplied by potted ivy and ferns hanging on the wall, along with 13 arbor vitae trees.

From New York Times • Jul. 9, 2020

There's a robin's nest in the arbor vitae next to the house, with three larger, shinier blue eggs inside, and we take our chances.

From Salon • May 9, 2020

For evergreen hedges the most serviceable plant in general is the arbor vitae.

From Manual of Gardening (Second Edition) by Bailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde)

The hedge was of arbor vitae and as high as a man's waist.

From The Friendly Road: New Adventures in Contentment by Grayson, David

We require an infusion of hemlock, spruce or arbor vitae in our tea.

From Walking by Thoreau, Henry David