pittosporum

[ pi-tos-per-uhm, pit-uh-spawr-uhm, -spohr- ]

/ pɪˈtɒs pər əm, ˌpɪt əˈspɔr əm, -ˈspoʊr- /

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noun

any of various shrubs or trees of the genus Pittosporum, native to warm regions of the Old World, many species of which are cultivated as ornamentals for their attractive foliage, flowers, or fruit.

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Origin of pittosporum

<New Latin, equivalent to Greek (Attic ) pitto- (combining form of pítta, píssapitch²) + spór(os) seed (see spore) + New Latin -um neuter noun ending; so called from the resinous coating of the seeds

Words nearby pittosporum

Pittacus, pittance, pitted, pitter-patter, pitting, pittosporum, Pitt-Rivers, Pittsburg, Pittsburgh, Pittsburg Landing, Pittsfield

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pittosporum in a sentence

The musk-tree and the Pittosporum scent the air, and lovely twining plants help to form an impenetrable foliage.
Australian Pictures|Howard Willoughby
The larva feeds on Pittosporum eugenioides, where it may be sometimes found in October and November.
An Elementary Manual of New Zealand Entomology|G. V. Hudson

British Dictionary definitions for pittosporum

pittosporum

/ (pɪˈtɒspərəm) /

noun

any of various trees and shrubs of the Pittosporum genus of Australasia, Asia, and Africa, having small fragrant flowers

Word Origin for pittosporum

New Latin, from Greek pitta pitch (from the resinous coating of the seeds) + spora seed

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