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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.


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

"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

Etymology

Origin of arbor vitae

C17: from New Latin, literally: tree of life

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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

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

From Walking by Thoreau, Henry David

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

Also the juice of arbor vitae, a glassful once a day for eleven days, is very good, for it quickens the memory, strengthens the body, and causeth milk to flow in abundance.

From The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy by Aristotle

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