Search Dictionary
Definition of irvingia
irvingia
/ɜːrˈvɪndʒiə/
ir · vin · gi · a
Plural:irvingias
irvingia Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
13
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A genus of tropical trees in the family Irvingiaceae, native to Africa and Southeast Asia, characterized by bearing edible, mango-like fruits and mucilage-rich seeds that are widely used in traditional cooking and medicine.
Example
"The seeds of Irvingia gabonensis, commonly known as the African mango, are highly valued in West African cuisine as a thickener for ogbono soup."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for irvingia• Rhymes for irvingia
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in 1860 by the English botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker in honor of Edward George Irving, a Scottish surgeon in the Royal Navy who collected plant specimens in West Africa.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Irvingia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/irvingia