Word of the Day

: April 21, 2010

hawthorn

noun HAW-thorn

What It Means

: any of a genus (Crataegus) of spring-flowering spiny shrubs or small trees of the rose family with glossy and often lobed leaves, white or pink fragrant flowers, and small red fruits

hawthorn in Context

Susan said that for her, one of the signs that spring had truly arrived was the flowering of the hawthorn.

Did You Know?

A hawthorn is a thorny shrub or tree which can be planted into a hedge, and this fact provides a hint about the origins of the plant's name. The word "hawthorn" traces back to the Old English word "hagathorn," a combination of "haga" ("hedge") and "thorn" (same meaning as the modern "thorn" or "thornbush"). "Haga" was also used in Old English for the hawthorn itself, but by the 12th century the "thorn" had been added to its name.