afrormosia

[ af-rawr-moh-zee-uh, -zhuh, -rohr- ]

noun

1. a tree, Pericopsis elata (or Afrormosia elata ), of western Africa, having wood that resembles teak and is used in cabinetwork.
2. the wood of this tree.

afrormosia

/ ˌæfrɔːˈməʊzɪə /

noun

1. a hard teaklike wood obtained from tropical African trees of the leguminous genus Pericopsis

Word History and Origins

Origin of afrormosia¹

< New Latin (1906), originally the genus name, equivalent to Latin Āfr-, stem of Āfer (adj.) African + New Latin Ormosia a genus to which the plant was first attributed (irregular from Greek hórmos necklace + New Latin -ia -ia; so called because the seeds of the plant were strung as necklaces)

Word History and Origins

Origin of afrormosia¹

C20: from Afro- + Ormosia (genus name)