Hollies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of flowering plant belonging to the genus Ilex, often characterized by spiny leaves and bright red berries
2. Commonly used in holiday decorations and associated with Christmas traditions due to their evergreen nature
3. A diverse group of shrubs and small trees that can provide habitat and food for various wildlife species

Etymology: Holly takes its name from the same root as the word "holm", and it once meant something closer to "prickly" than to any festive berry. Old English "holeġn" (or "holen") named the plant, and it is traced to a Proto-West Germanic form "*hulis", possibly linked to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to beat" or "break", a nod to the plant's stiff, stabbing leaves. The word has a strong family resemblance across Europe. German "Hulst", Dutch "hulst" and Danish "hylver" all name the same evergreen, and Scots "holin" is a close relative. French "houx" is also a Germanic borrowing, which is a useful surprise: the French name for this plant came from neighbours rather than from Latin. Welsh "celyn" is an unrelated word for the same tree, a reminder that many languages named holly by a different feature entirely. Plural "hollies" is the form of "holly" used when referring to more than one of these shrubs.

Synonyms: holly bush