Ilex
|I-lex|
/ˈaɪ.lɛks/
holly (genus)
Etymology
'Ilex' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ilex', where 'ilex' meant 'holm oak' or an oak-like tree.
'Ilex' was a Latin word ('ilex') used in Classical and Medieval Latin; in 1753 Carl Linnaeus adopted 'Ilex' as the botanical genus name for the hollies, so the term shifted from referring to oak to referring to holly in scientific nomenclature.
Initially, it meant 'holm oak' (a type of oak), but over time it became the scientific name for the genus of holly plants ('Ilex').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a genus of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae; the hollies.
Ilex includes species such as Ilex aquifolium and Ilex opaca.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a plant (tree or shrub) belonging to the genus Ilex; a holly plant.
A large Ilex in the garden produced bright red berries all winter.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/15 17:27