Rowans

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The berries from a certain type of small tree are often bright red or orange, and these trees are found primarily in northern regions
2. A deciduous tree known for its attractive clusters of red or orange berries and its importance in various cultural myths
3. This species of tree is characterized by its round-shaped fruit, which is commonly used in dishes or as an ornamental plant

Etymology: "Rowans" is simply the plural of "rowan," so the story belongs to the singular noun. The word was originally Scots and northern English, and it entered the language from Middle English "ron" or "rone," which came from Old Norse "reynir." Those Norse roots point to the Scandinavian languages, where the tree is still "rogn" in Norwegian and "røn" in Danish. The most surprising link is that the name was first applied to the tree's fruit rather than the tree itself. Its berries are the feature that gave the word its meaning, and the name's deeper ancestry ties it to the root behind "red," the colour those bright clusters take on in autumn.

Synonyms: mountain ash, Sorbus