Search Dictionary
Definition of tilia
tilia
/ˈtɪl.i.ə/
til · i · a
Plural:tilias
tilia Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of several large deciduous trees of the genus Tilia, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, characterized by heart-shaped leaves and fragrant, yellowish-white flowers.
Example
"The historic boulevard was gracefully lined with mature tilias that blossomed heavily in midsummer."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for tiliaWord Nuance & Usage
While 'tilia' is the scientific botanical name, these trees are more commonly referred to in everyday English as linden (North America and Europe), basswood (North America), or lime trees (Britain), though they are entirely unrelated to the citrus fruit lime.
• Rhymes for tilia
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'tilia', meaning the linden or lime tree, tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *ptel-ya- meaning broad (referring to the leaves).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tilia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tilia