ailanthus

[ ey-lan-thuhs ]

noun

, plural ai·lan·thus·es.

1. any tree belonging to the genus Ailanthus, of the quassia family, especially A. altissima, widely grown in cities.

ailanthus

/ eɪˈlænθəs /

noun

1. an E Asian simaroubaceous deciduous tree, Ailanthus altissima, planted in Europe and North America, having pinnate leaves, small greenish flowers, and winged fruits Also calledtree of heaven

Other Words From

• ai·lanthic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ailanthus¹

1788; < New Latin Ailantus, Ailanthus ( th by association with Greek ánthos flower) < Central Moluccan ai lanit ( o ), ai lanit ( e ), equivalent to ai tree, wood + lanit sky + -o, -e a definite article

Word History and Origins

Origin of ailanthus¹

C19: New Latin, from native name (in Amboina) ai lanto tree (of) the gods

Example Sentences

Day explained: “You learn to look at the scars and say, ‘Oh, that’s an Ailanthus’ or ‘That’s a horse chestnut.’

From Seattle Times

“I don’t know that the world can change for the better except with stories,” says Baer, 67, from the apartment he shares with his husband, the 37-year-old psychologist Brandon Weiss, which overlooks a secluded tangle of ginkgo, ailanthus and cork trees in Central Park known as the Ramble, where gay men have gone cruising since at least the 1920s.

From New York Times

The lanternfly’s preferred host is the Ailanthus altissima, known as the tree of heaven, but it will quickly move into wooded and residential areas to feed on other types of trees, such as maples or willows.

From Washington Post

Chief among them turns out to be the Ailanthus altissima, otherwise known as the Tree of Heaven, otherwise known as the tree at the center of the 1943 novel “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”

From New York Times

The lanternflies’ favorite tree, Ailanthus altissima—which is native to areas the bugs came from—tends to grow near railroad tracks.

From Scientific American