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neem

American  
[neem] / nim /
  1. a product of the seeds of a tropical tree, Azadirachta indica, of the mahogany family, that disrupts reproduction in insects, used as an insecticide.

  2. Also called nim tree, margosa.  Also called neem tree,.  the tree itself.


neem British  
/ niːm /

noun

  1. a large tree of India, Azadirachta indica , all parts of which are useful to man: the leaves act as a natural pesticide, the fruit and seeds yield a medicinal oil, the bark is used to make a tonic, and the trunk exudes a gum

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of neem

1805–15; < Hindi nīm < Sanskrit nimba

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.

See Examples For:

When there are power cuts in the afternoon, relief comes from the shade of a neem tree.

From BBC Jun. 1, 2026

They said we had an unidentified pest and pointed us to the neem oil.

From Los Angeles Times May 8, 2026

Should your plant get those pesky spider mites, by the way, Husain suggests giving it a healthy dousing of water, then individually removing the mites using neem oil or soapy water.

From Salon Jul. 5, 2022

Hemsley applies a concoction of equal parts Castile soap, water and neem oil to leaves.

From Seattle Times Nov. 29, 2021

For a while, I sit all alone under the skinny neem tree.

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman

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