eucalyptus

[ yoo-kuh-lip-tuh s ]
/ ˌyu kəˈlɪp təs /

noun, plural eu·ca·lyp·ti [yoo-kuh-lip-tahy] /ˌyu kəˈlɪp taɪ/, eu·ca·lyp·tus·es.

any of numerous often tall trees belonging to the genus Eucalyptus, of the myrtle family, native to Australia and adjacent islands, having aromatic evergreen leaves that are the source of medicinal oils and heavy wood used as timber.
Also eu·ca·lypt [yoo-kuh-lipt] /ˈyu kəˌlɪpt/.

Origin of eucalyptus

1800–10; < New Latin < Greek eu- eu- + kalyptós covered, wrapped, akin to kalýptein to cover

OTHER WORDS FROM eucalyptus

eu·ca·lyp·tic, adjective

Words nearby eucalyptus

eubacterium, euboea, euboean, eucaine, eucalyptol, eucalyptus, eucarpic, eucaryotae, eucaryote, eucharis, eucharist

Example sentences from the Web for eucalyptus

British Dictionary definitions for eucalyptus

eucalyptus

eucalypt (ˈjuːkəˌlɪpt)

/ (ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs) /

noun plural -lyptuses, -lypti (-ˈlɪptaɪ) or -lypts

any myrtaceous tree of the mostly Australian genus Eucalyptus, such as the blue gum and ironbark, widely cultivated for the medicinal oil in their leaves (eucalyptus oil), timber, and ornament

Word Origin for eucalyptus

C19: New Latin, from eu- + Greek kaluptos covered, from kaluptein to cover, hide