shea tree

noun

1. an African tree, Butyrospermum parkii, of the sapodilla family, bearing a round, smooth-skinned fruit that contains one or more seeds yielding shea butter.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shea tree¹

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

But the shea tree population has dramatically plummeted in recent year, it says.

From BBC

It has traditionally been women who have gathered the nuts of the shea tree to produce Nilotica shea butter, prized globally for its cosmetic and culinary uses.

From BBC

"The productivity has gone down. The trees are not flowering and fruiting the way they used to. Rain fluctuation has disrupted the shea tree's natural cycles," he said.

From BBC

Chained by her ankle to a shea tree, her mother hovering nearby, she has two hollows in the earth which serve as her toilet and to hold drinking water.

From The Guardian

In her lab in England, Darja will be analysing shea tree leaves to uncover why the caterpillars like them so much.

From BBC