baobab

American  

[bey-oh-bab, bah-oh-, bou-bab] / ˈbeɪ oʊˌbæb, ˈbɑ oʊ-, ˈbaʊ bæb /

noun

1. any large tree belonging to the genus Adansonia, of the bombax family, especially A. digitata, which is native to tropical Africa, has an exceedingly thick trunk, and bears a gourdlike fruit.

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baobab British  

/ ˈbeɪəʊˌbæb /

noun

1. Also called: bottle tree.   monkey bread tree.  a bombacaceous tree, Adansonia digitata , native to Africa, that has a very thick trunk, large white flowers, and a gourdlike fruit with an edible pulp called monkey bread

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Etymology

Origin of baobab

First recorded in 1630–40, baobab is from the New Latin word bahobab, first cited in a description of the tree's fruit by Italian physician and botanist Prospero Alpini (1553–1616 or 17); origin obscure

Example Sentences

Raffy, Diouf and ambitious young Pistache sat at the top of a baobab, plucking a breakfast of fruit that they cracked open with a whack-whack-whack against the branches.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

Zoom out and these pointillist patterns are colorful doubles of the black-and-white photographs of baobab trees mounted in the foreground.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

Scientists have solved the mystery of the origins of ancient baobab trees.

From BBC • May 15, 2024

The work also provides new insights into how climate change has influenced baobab distribution and speciation patterns over millions of years'.

From Science Daily • May 15, 2024

It threaded between boulders and past baobab trees with their roots firmly tapped into pockets of water in the soil.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer