Madrone

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A broadleaf evergreen tree of the genus Arbutus with distinctive reddish-brown peeling bark, white bell-shaped flowers, and red berries
2. A western North American tree characterized by smooth cinnamon-colored bark that sheds in thin layers, clusters of white flowers, and scarlet fruit
3. An ornamental tree native to California and the Pacific coast, known for its striking russet trunk, creamy flower panicles, and berry-like fruits

Etymology: The madrone is a tree with glossy evergreen leaves and smooth reddish bark, native to the Pacific coast of North America, and its name is a re-spelling of a Spanish word that English speakers encountered in the American Southwest. The Spanish "madroño" is the name for the strawberry tree, a Mediterranean relative of the madrone, and it was carried into English through Mexican Spanish, which was spoken across the territories that later became California and Texas. English speakers adapted the sound to fit their own pronunciation and spelling habits, and the result is the form used today for the North American species. The point of interest is the link with the Spanish name for the Mediterranean plant. Spanish speakers gave the trees the same name because they recognized a resemblance in their form and fruit, so one word ended up covering two related but distinct trees on opposite sides of the Atlantic. English took the word from the American side of that Spanish usage rather than from Spain itself.

Synonyms: arbutus, strawberry tree