LIGNUM VITAE Definition & Meaning

lignum vitae

[ lig-nuhm vahy-tee, vee-tahy ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

either of two tropical American trees, Guaiacum officinale or G. sanctum, of the caltrop family, having very hard, heavy wood.
the wood of such a tree, used for making pulley blocks, mallet heads, bearings, etc.
any of several other trees yielding a similar hard wood.

lignum vitae

/ ˈlɪɡnəm ˈvaɪtɪ /

noun

either of two zygophyllaceous tropical American trees, Guaiacum officinale or G. sanctum, having blue or purple flowers
the heavy resinous wood of either of these trees, which is used in machine bearings, casters, etc: formerly thought to have medicinal properties

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of lignum vitae¹

1585–95; < New Latin, Late Latin, name of the tree, literally, wood of life

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of lignum vitae¹

New Latin, from Late Latin, literally: wood of life

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There he crouched and reached inside the sleeve of his coat for the short, heavy stick of lignum vitae he carried along his left forearm.

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The scents are created using native flowers — such as hibiscus, lignum vitae, elderflower — from St. Martin, Aruba, St. Thomas and other islands.

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The stone knocked Merlyn’s hat off as clean as a whistle, and the old gentleman chased him featly down the stairs, waving his wand of lignum vitae.

From

The difference in color between them is very marked in some woods, as in lignum vitae and black walnut, and very slight in others, 18 as spruce and bass.

From

From LA to Edinburgh Macdonald made at least one other sculpture of Parker, a full-length figure carved from lignum vitae, a dark hardwood.

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