arborvitaes
|ar-bor-vi-tae|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑr·bərˈviː·ti/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑː.bə(r)ˈviː.ti/
(arborvitae)
tree of life / evergreen tree
Etymology
'arborvitae' originates from Latin, specifically the phrase 'arbor vitae', where 'arbor' meant 'tree' and 'vitae' meant 'of life'.
'arbor vitae' was taken from Latin (used in botanical and medicinal contexts) into English as the compound noun 'arborvitae', applied to certain evergreen trees (notably Thuja) and preserved the original Latin elements.
Initially, it literally meant 'tree of life' (sometimes applied to plants believed to have medicinal or symbolic life-giving properties); over time it narrowed to refer specifically to certain ornamental evergreen trees used for hedging.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a coniferous evergreen tree of the genus Thuja, especially Thuja occidentalis; commonly used for hedges and ornamental plantings.
The gardener planted arborvitaes along the property line to create a dense privacy hedge.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/03 09:57