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Corylus avellana

Corylus avellana

8.6
A European tree that makes edible hazelnuts and useful wood
  • proper noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : avellano
  • Farmers in Europe cultivate Corylus avellana for its valuable hazelnuts.

Examples

  • The wood of the Corylus avellana is often used to make walking sticks.

  • A hedge composed of Corylus avellana can provide food and shelter for wildlife.

  • The Corylus avellana tree is known for its delicious nuts.

  • Did you know that Corylus avellana can grow up to 15 meters tall?

  • Farmers in Europe cultivate Corylus avellana for its valuable hazelnuts.

  • The wood of the Corylus avellana is often used to make walking sticks.

  • The Corylus avellana tree is known for its delicious nuts.

Synonyms

hazelnut
vsCorylus avellana
25 1.0

A small round nut or the tree that makes it, often used in sweets and coffee

refers specifically to the tree species grown for both wood and fruit
filbert
vsCorylus avellana
1 6.7

A small hazel tree or the round brown nuts it gives that you can eat

is a specific European species grown for wood and edible fruit
hazel
vsCorylus avellana
1 2.7

A shrub or small tree that produces edible round brown nuts

is a larger deciduous European tree widely cultivated for wood and fruit
hazelnut tree
vsCorylus avellana
1 3.1

A small tree or bush that grows edible nuts inside a leafy cover

is a full deciduous European tree usually grown for wood and fruit

Surface Forms

Morphology

Corylus + avellana

This is a Latin scientific binomial (genus + species) whose constituents are proper names and do not transparently convey the meaning 'common hazel' to an average B1 learner—'Corylus' and the undefined 'avellana' would not readily signal the tree or nut. Because the name functions as a taxonomic label rather than a descriptively compositional phrase, the overall meaning cannot be derived from the parts and is therefore opaque.

Etymology

Corylus avellana may come from old words: Corylus for the tree 'hazel' and avellana from Avella, a town in Italy long known for its 'hazelnuts'. That's why the name refers to the common hazel tree, the tree that makes edible nuts and wood used to make walking sticks.