aloe

noun al·oe \ ˈa-(ˌ)lō \

Definition of aloe

1 aloes plural :the fragrant wood of an East Indian tree (Aquilaria agallocha) of the mezereon family

2 a :any of a large genus (Aloe) of succulent chiefly southern African plants of the lily family with basal leaves and spicate flowers

b :the dried juice of the leaves of various aloes used especially formerly as a purgative —usually used in plural but singular in construction

c :aloe vera

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Recent Examples of aloe from the Web

Try: IS Clinical Body Complex, a super hydrating body cream with hyaluronic acid, aloe, and glycerin that exfoliates thanks to skin-softening retinol.

— nicole catanese, Cosmopolitan, "The 8 Most Annoying Skin Problems Every Girl Deals With," 24 Aug. 2017
These serious ingredients are buffered by a roundup of soothing ones, like zinc oxide (a skin protectant typically used in diaper-rash creams), hyaluronic acid (so your skin won’t dry out), as well as vitamin E, ceramides, and aloe.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "This Concealer Also Fights Acne," 7 Aug. 2017
It's made with five natural oils including avocado, aloe, coconut, castor, and sunflower.

— zoë weiner, Teen Vogue, "Eos Launches Transparent Crystal Lip Balm," 4 Aug. 2017
Tall tree aloes (Aloe bainesii) accentuate the prehistoric touch.

— nan sterman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Stunning streetscapes are inspiration for gardeners," 3 Aug. 2017
The body moisturizer is packed with safflower oil, aloe and essential fatty acids, and left our upper arms moisturized for hours without any sticky feeling.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "Everything From This New Lifestyle Brand Is $3—and It's Legit," 11 July 2017
For super silky skin, massage it all over nightly then slip on a pair of aloe and vitamin E infused socks to really hydrate.

— maddy zollo, Seventeen, "7 Ways To Fight Fugly Feet This Summer," 30 June 2017
Prompt application of an ice-pack and a baking soda poultice, as well as meat tenderizer, calamine lotion, aloe or any other favorite sting treating remedies can help reduce pain and swelling.

— NOLA.com, "Ouch! 4 common stinging caterpillars in Louisiana and how to avoid them," 23 June 2017
The hydrating-but-not-heavy jar contains cocoa butter and shea butter, as well as soothing aloe.

— jackie fields, PEOPLE.com, "The 4 Beauty Products You Need to Beat the Heat All Summer Long," 29 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aloe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of aloe

Middle English, from Late Latin, from Latin, dried juice of aloe leaves, from Greek aloē

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

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ALOE Defined for English Language Learners

aloe

noun

Definition of aloe for English Language Learners

: a tropical plant that has heavy leaves which produce a thick liquid used in medicines, cosmetics, etc.

Medical Dictionary

aloe

noun al·oe \ ˈal-(ˌ)ō \

medical Definition of aloe

1 capitalized :a large genus of succulent chiefly southern African plants of the lily family with basal leaves and spicate flowers

2 :a plant of the genus Aloe

3 :the dried juice of the leaves of various aloes used especially formerly as a purgative and tonic —usually used in plural but singular in construction

4 :aloe vera 2