baobab

American  

[bay-oh-bab, bah-oh-, bau-bab] / ˈbeɪ oʊˌbæb, ˈbɑ oʊ-, ˈbaʊ bæb /

noun

• baobabs
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• baobabs
  plural

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

baobab baobabs

They climb giant baobab trees to raid beehives for honey.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

They keep count as Raffy whacks a baobab fruit eight times or note which arm he uses to do so -- although chimps are normally left-handed.

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

Even her hardy baobab tree produced hardly any fruit.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2024

The baobab trees tower over us, and I start to feel their soothing energy settling over me.

From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott

The charismatic baobabs have astonishing growth forms, reaching huge sizes with massive trunks, but apparently diminutive crowns, giving them their iconic appearance as upside-down trees.

From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024

"We have been able to pinpoint the origin of baobabs, which are an iconic keystone species supporting a wide diversity of animals and plants as well as humans," she told the BBC.

From BBC ● May 15, 2024

For now, the only good news is that younger baobabs do not seem to be affected as much as the huge, older trees.

From NewsForKids.net ● Apr. 10, 2024

Most tourists come to Malawi to go on safaris among bulbous baobabs in Liwonde National Park or sunbathe on the sparkling yellow beaches of Lake Malawi, which stretches for two-thirds of the country’s length.

From New York Times ● Nov. 15, 2022

I don’t know if it’s the baobabs or Ma’s story that makes me feel so happy, but I can’t stop grinning.

From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott

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