Fraxinus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genus of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae, commonly known for their compound leaves and distinct seed capsules
2. A group of deciduous trees or shrubs that typically inhabit temperate regions and are characterized by their hardwood
3. A type of plant commonly referred to as ash, recognized for its sturdy wood and is often used in landscaping and timber production

Etymology: Fraxinus is the Latin name for the ash tree, and it has been the standard scientific name for the genus since Linnaeus adopted it in his 1753 "Species Plantarum." The Latin word itself is old, used by Roman writers for the tree whose pale, straight-grained timber was prized for spear shafts and for the wooden shafts of weapons. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, though it is generally linked to the Proto-Indo-European root for "ash" and related to the English word "ash" (the tree), which descends from Old English "æsc". The Latin form also gave a second English word. The adjective "fraxinine," meaning relating to or resembling ash trees, comes from the same stem, and the genus name is the reason botanical texts describe ash-leaved plants with it. Because Linnaeus fixed the name in his binomial system, the Latin word that once simply meant "ash tree" now labels every species in the genus, including the common ash, Fraxinus excelsior.

Synonyms: ash, ash tree, tree, deciduous tree