jacaranda

American  

[jak-uh-ran-duh, -ran-dah] / ˌdʒæk əˈræn də, -rænˈdɑ /

noun

1. any of various tropical trees belonging to the genus Jacaranda, of the catalpa family, having showy clusters of usually purplish flowers.

2. any of various related or similar trees.

3. the often fragrant, ornamental wood of any of these trees.

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jacaranda British  

/ ˌdʒækəˈrændə /

noun

1. any bignoniaceous tree of the tropical American genus Jacaranda , having fernlike leaves and pale purple flowers and widely cultivated in temperate areas of Australia

2. the fragrant ornamental wood of any of these trees

3. any of several related or similar trees or their wood

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Etymology

Origin of jacaranda

1745–55; < Portuguese jacarandá < Tupi yacarandá

Example Sentences

Then up, up, and up, past the markets, clothing boutiques, fix-it shops, the swirling schools of motor scooters and all those purple jacaranda trees, starting their seasonal bloom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

In cases of more severe scarring, North said, “the jacaranda looks like it will recover.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

But when the Army Corps removed her beloved tree this year, all that remained was the jacaranda — the one that for years had left her car sticky with sap and stunk up the street.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

It was Alexis Murphy’s tradition to photograph the jacaranda that guarded her childhood home in Pasadena.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

We parked in the center of town, which had big jacaranda trees and was very quaint.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver