Morus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genus of deciduous trees known for their fruit, often referred to as mulberries
2. A group of plants that typically bear small, sweet berries
3. A family of trees associated with silk production due to their leaves being the primary food for silkworms

Etymology: "Morus" is the Latin name for the mulberry, and it was adopted as the scientific name of the genus that includes the white mulberry and the black mulberry. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, though it is often linked to a Greek word for the mulberry, "moron," which is also the source of the English "moron" through a different path. The Greek and Latin forms are old enough that the word predates any scientific naming, so when the genus was formally named it simply took the classical term. Because it is a Latin genus name, "morus" follows the conventions of botanical nomenclature rather than everyday English vocabulary. Its species, such as the white mulberry "Morus alba," are named in the same Latin style, and the genus is the reason many plant and fruit names in English trace back to this single classical root.

Synonyms: mulberry