olienhout, noun
- Forms:
- Show more Also olinhout, and (formerly) oliven-hout, olyvenhout.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans olienhout, olievenhout, adaptation of Dutch olijven olive + hout wood.
The small evergreen tree Olea europaea subspecies africana of the Oleaceae; the timber of this tree; olien; wild olive, see wild sense a. Also attributive.
1798 S.H. Wilcocke tr. of J.S. Stavorinus’s Voy. to E. Indies II. 79Olyvenhout, wild olive (olea Europa), which is a heavy, strong wood, of a brown colour, used in the construction of mills.
1988 S. Afr. Digest 15 Apr. 16This year’s Tree of the Year is the Olea (Latin for olive), of which the wild olive, or ‘olienhout’ is probably the best-known species...The following six species and subspecies of Olea are indigenous to South Africa: the wild olive or ‘olienhout’ (Olea europa subsp africana).
The small evergreen tree Olea europaea subspecies africana of the Oleaceae; the timber of this tree; olien; wild olive, see wild sense a. Also attributive.
Visualise Quotations
Quotation summarySenses
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.