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Glite Dictionary
Caesalpinia ferrea

Caesalpinia ferrea

9.9
A tropical tree from South America with heavy, hard wood used for building
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : caesalpinia ferrea
  • The wood from Caesalpinia ferrea is prized for its strength and durability in construction.

Examples

  • Many urban parks in Brazil feature the distinctive Caesalpinia ferrea as an ornamental shade tree.

  • Researchers studied the growth rate of Caesalpinia ferrea in different soil conditions.

  • The Caesalpinia ferrea tree can grow up to 30 feet tall.

  • Many builders prefer Caesalpinia ferrea for its durability.

  • The wood from Caesalpinia ferrea is prized for its strength and durability in construction.

  • Many urban parks in Brazil feature the distinctive Caesalpinia ferrea as an ornamental shade tree.

  • Many builders prefer Caesalpinia ferrea for its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Synonyms

Brazilian ironwood
vsCaesalpinia ferrea
9.9

A tree from Brazil without thorns that has very heavy, dense wood

has similarly heavy wood but not emphasised as exceptionally dense
wallaba
vsCaesalpinia ferrea
  • UK
9.9

A tropical South American tree with very hard wood used for building

focuses on heavy durable wood rather than construction use

Surface Forms

Caesalpinia ferrea singular
Caesalpinia ferreas plural

Morphology

Caesalpinia + ferrea

This is a Latin binomial (a scientific species name) and functions as a proper noun rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing 'Caesalpinia' alone does not let a B1 learner infer the specific species meaning. The second element 'ferrea' is not given a dictionary meaning here (and is Latin), so the status and nuance (e.g. durable, iron-like wood) are not transparently derivable from ordinary English vocabulary.

Etymology

Caesalpinia ferrea gets its name from an old Italian plant scientist: Caesalpinia comes from his name, and ferrea comes from the Latin word for 'iron' because the tree's wood is very hard and heavy. That's why the name points to a tree known for strong, durable wood.