Aquilaria
|a-qui-la-ri-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌækwɪˈlɛriə/
🇬🇧
/ˌækwɪˈlɛə.rɪə/
genus of agarwood trees
Etymology
'Aquilaria' originates from New Latin, specifically the Latin root 'aquila,' where 'aquila' meant 'eagle'; the botanical suffix '-aria' is used in forming genus names, and the term is traditionally linked to the common name 'eaglewood.'
'Aquilaria' was adopted from scientific Latin 'Aquilaria' into English unchanged and eventually became the modern English word 'Aquilaria'.
Initially, it meant the botanical genus for agarwood-producing trees, and this meaning has remained stable in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a genus of evergreen trees in the family Thymelaeaceae, native mainly to South and Southeast Asia, many species of which produce the resin-impregnated heartwood known as agarwood (oud).
Aquilaria includes several species prized for the fragrant resin known as agarwood.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a tree belonging to the genus Aquilaria.
Illegal logging has reduced the number of mature Aquilaria in the wild.
Synonyms
Noun 3
in scientific naming, the generic name placed before the species epithet for agarwood-producing trees (e.g., Aquilaria malaccensis).
Aquilaria malaccensis is the primary source of high-grade agarwood.
Last updated: 2025/08/11 08:38