dipterocarp
|dip-ter-o-carp|
🇺🇸
/ˌdɪptəˈrɑːrˌkɑrp/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɪptəˈrɒkɑːp/
two-winged-fruited tropical hardwood tree
Etymology
'dipterocarp' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'dipteros' and 'karpos', where 'dipteros' meant 'two-winged' (from 'di-' meaning 'two' and 'pteron' meaning 'wing') and 'karpos' meant 'fruit'.
'dipterocarp' entered scientific New Latin as 'Dipterocarpus' and the family name 'Dipterocarpaceae', and was subsequently adopted into English botanical usage to name members of that family.
Initially, it meant 'having a two-winged fruit', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a tree of the family Dipterocarpaceae or the timber from such trees'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a tree of the family Dipterocarpaceae, especially large tropical hardwood trees native to Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.
Dipterocarps dominate many lowland rainforests in Borneo and Sumatra.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the timber or wood produced by trees of the Dipterocarpaceae family, often valued for construction and furniture.
The furniture was made from dipterocarp, prized for its strength and grain.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/08 03:30