melaleuca
melaleuca Lexical Profile
melaleuca Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of various evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Melaleuca in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native primarily to Australia, characterized by flaky papery bark, aromatic oil-rich foliage, and showy, dense cylindrical spikes of white, yellow, pink, or red brush-like flowers.
"The coastal garden was planted with hardy melaleucas that attract nectar-feeding birds when their bright crimson flower spikes bloom."
The volatile essential oil (commonly known as tea tree oil or cajeput oil) distilled from the leaves of certain trees of the genus Melaleuca, widely used in topical antiseptics, cosmetics, and aromatherapy.
"She applied a diluted solution of melaleuca to soothe the minor skin irritation."
• Rhymes for melaleuca
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in Modern Latin by Carl Linnaeus in 1767 from the Ancient Greek words 'melas' (meaning black) and 'leukos' (meaning white), in reference to the fire-blackened trunk base and pale peeling bark characteristic of several species.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.