Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for arborvitae. Search instead for arborvitaes.

arborvitae

American  
[ahr-ber-vahy-tee] / ˌɑr bərˈvaɪ ti /

noun

  1. any of several ornamental or timber-producing evergreen trees belonging to the genus Thuja, of the cypress family, native to North America and eastern Asia, having a scaly bark and scalelike leaves on branchlets.

  2. Anatomy. arbor vitae.


Etymology

Origin of arborvitae

1655–65 arborvitae for def. 1; 1790–1800 arborvitae for def. 2; < Latin: 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.

Some of the popular choices in Seattle include bamboo, arborvitae, boxwood and Pacific yew.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 29, 2020

The stairs are required for the bridge to clear a single thriving arborvitae evergreen, planted beneath it; the roof spikes seventeen feet for the purpose.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 25, 2019

They were eating her beloved hostas, nibbling the hydrangea and devouring the arborvitae.

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2016

The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service’s department of plant pathology newsletter for March 28, 2012, includes sad photos of liriodendron and arborvitae branches damaged by egg-laying cicadas.

From Washington Times • Jun. 8, 2015

Wangsgard said the two her office recommends — the dark green American arborvitae and the Columnar oriental arborvitae — do well in the Washington area.

From Washington Post

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "arborvitae" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com