arboretum

noun

ar·​bo·​re·​tum ˌär-bə-ˈrē-təm How to pronounce arboretum (audio)
plural arboretums or arboreta ˌär-bə-ˈrē-tə How to pronounce arboretum (audio)
: a place where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes

Examples of arboretum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most have their own hiking trails, arboretums, gardens, and natural spaces. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2025 What began here as an 18th-century hobbyist’s collection of native and exotic trees grew to be one of the continent’s finest arboretums and a pioneer public garden by 1850. airmail.news, 16 Nov. 2024 Earth simply isn’t going to cough up another half a continent to serve as a global arboretum. Mark Gongloff, Boston Herald, 28 Dec. 2024 The bulbs come from Holland, though the arboretum had a hard time getting them this year because of shortages caused by extreme weather. Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arboretum 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, plantation of trees, from arbor

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arboretum was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near arboretum

Cite this Entry

“Arboretum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arboretum. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

arboretum

noun
ar·​bo·​re·​tum ˌär-bə-ˈrēt-əm How to pronounce arboretum (audio)
plural arboretums or arboreta -ˈrēt-ə How to pronounce arboretum (audio)
: a place where trees and plants are grown for scientific and educational purposes

More from Merriam-Webster on arboretum

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