Obeches

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of large African hardwood tree known for its valuable timber used in furniture and construction; the wood of this species is prized for strength and workability; also refers to the botanical genus that includes these trees
2. Refers to certain tropical trees native to Africa whose wood serves in carpentry and building due to durability and fine grain; the term encompasses both the tree and its timber; classified within a specific genus prized in woodworking
3. Denotes a group of African hardwood trees recognized for producing strong, workable timber favored in craft and structural applications; the name applies both to the species and the harvested wood; belongs to a botanical category valued for commercial lumber production

Etymology: "Obeches" is the plural of "obeche," the name for a West African tree, Triplochiton scleroxylon, whose pale, lightweight wood is prized for carving, plywood and general construction. The English name was borrowed from Edo, the language of the Benin region of southern Nigeria, where the tree is known as "obeche." Botanist R.W.J. Keay's account of Nigerian trees records the word as an Edo name, and it was taken into English as a trade term for the timber that the tree yielded.

Synonyms: African mahogany, triplochiton