Torreya

noun

Tor·​reya
ˈtȯrēə
: a genus of Asiatic and North American trees (family Taxaceae) having two-ranked often ill-scented linear leaves and a large ovoid fruit resembling a drupe but being actually a large seed surrounded by a fleshy aril see california nutmeg , stinking cedar

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, after John Torrey †1873 American botanist and chemist

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Cite this Entry

“Torreya.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Torreya. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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