zelkova

noun

zel·​ko·​va ˈzel-kə-və How to pronounce zelkova (audio) zel-ˈkō-və How to pronounce zelkova (audio)
: a tall widely spreading Japanese tree (Zelkova serrata) of the elm family that is often used as an ornamental and shade tree in place of the American elm because of its resistance to Dutch elm disease

Examples of zelkova in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The future of a road like Vanderbilt, Ms. Weisz said, begins with the median — a 10-foot-wide by 300-foot-long elevated concrete block broken up by nine Japanese zelkova trees. Matthew Haag, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2020 The experiment quickly prompted comparisons to Courier Journal's topping of 40 mature oaks and zelkovas last December, igniting outrage among Louisville's tree advocates. James Bruggers, The Courier-Journal, 26 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zelkova.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Russian zel'kova, zel'kva, from Georgian dzelkva

First Known Use

circa 1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zelkova was circa 1836

Dictionary Entries Near zelkova

Cite this Entry

“Zelkova.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zelkova. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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