eucalyptus

American  

[yoo-kuh-lip-tuhs] / ˌyu kəˈlɪp təs /

Also eucalypt

noun

eucalypti, plural eucalyptuses plural

1. any of numerous often tall trees belonging to the genus Eucalyptus, of the myrtle family, native to Australia and adjacent islands, having aromatic evergreen leaves that are the source of medicinal oils and heavy wood used as timber.

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eucalyptus British  

/ ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs, ˈjuːkəˌlɪpt /

noun

1. any myrtaceous tree of the mostly Australian genus Eucalyptus, such as the blue gum and ironbark, widely cultivated for the medicinal oil in their leaves ( eucalyptus oil ), timber, and ornament

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Other Word Forms

• eucalyptic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of eucalyptus

1800–10; < New Latin < Greek eu- eu- + kalyptós covered, wrapped, akin to kalýptein to cover

Explanation

Eucalyptus is an Australian plant that produces an oil with a strong, distinctive scent. Koalas are famously fond of eating eucalyptus leaves. There are more than 600 species of eucalyptus trees and shrubs, many of which are known in their native habitat of Australia and Tasmania as "gumtrees." Most North American eucalyptus is raised for its astringent scent, or for use in cut flower arrangements. The word eucalyptus was coined by an 18th-century French botanist, from the Greek eu, "well," and kalyptos, "covered," a description of the plant's flower bud.

Example Sentences

The crash occurred on the northbound 215 freeway near Eucalyptus Avenue around 7:30 p.m.,

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Both outlooks exclude potential contributions from the proposed acquisition of Australian telehealth provider Eucalyptus, which was announced last week.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

Last week, it announced plans to acquire digital health company Eucalyptus in a deal worth $1.15 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Eucalyptus reported an annual revenue of more than $450 million and has served more than 775,000 customers.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026

Eucalyptus trees were rare in Australia 45,000 years ago.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari