Ailanthuses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Refers to multiple fast-growing deciduous trees with compound leaves, known for their ability to thrive in urban environments and sometimes considered invasive; the plural of a genus of trees often called tree of heaven
2. Denotes a group of hardy trees characterized by large pinnate leaves and rapid growth, often found in disturbed areas and valued for their resilience; the plural form of a certain genus used in landscaping or natural colonization
3. Identifies several trees belonging to a genus notable for adaptability, thick foliage, and often spreading aggressively in various regions; the plural noun naming these ornamental yet sometimes problematic plants

Etymology: The plural "ailanthuses" is simply the regular English plural of "ailanthus," the name for a fast-growing tree native to China and other parts of East Asia. The genus name is a New Latin coinage, and it reaches back to an unexpected corner of the world: it comes from "ai lanto," a phrase in Ambonese Malay, the language of the Ambon region in eastern Indonesia, meaning roughly "tree of heaven." The tree took its English nickname from that meaning. Its height and rapid growth made "tree of heaven" a fitting description, and the botanical name carried the same idea across languages, so a term first used in the islands of the Indonesian archipelago now labels a tree that has spread across much of the world.

Synonyms: tree of heaven, ailanthus trees