Main Entry: yew

Pronunciation: \ˈyü\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English ew, from Old English īw; akin to Old High German īwa yew, Middle Irish eó

Date: before 12th century

1 a : any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen gymnospermous trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril: as (1) : a long-lived Eurasian tree or shrub (T. baccata) —called also English yew (2) : a low straggling bush (T. canadensis) of the eastern United States and Canada (3) : pacific yew b : the wood of a yew; especially : the heavy fine-grained wood of the English yew
2 archaic : an archery bow made of yew

[yew illustration]