Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Elaeis guineensis

Elaeis guineensis

9.9
A tropical oil palm tree from West Africa grown for its oil-rich fruit
  • noun
  • /ˌɛleɪɪs ɡɪˈniːənˌsɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Elaeis guineensis
  • The oil produced from Elaeis guineensis is widely used in cooking and food processing.

Examples

  • Farmers in Nigeria cultivate Elaeis guineensis for its valuable oil.

  • Researchers are studying Elaeis guineensis for its potential in sustainable agriculture.

  • Many tropical plantations cultivate Elaeis guineensis due to its high oil yield.

  • The Elaeis guineensis tree thrives in tropical climates.

  • Many tropical plantations cultivate Elaeis guineensis due to its high oil yield.

  • The oil produced from Elaeis guineensis is widely used in cooking and food processing.

  • Farmers in Nigeria cultivate Elaeis guineensis for its valuable oil.

Synonyms

oil palm
vsElaeis guineensis
1 3.6

A tropical palm tree with long leaves that produces red fruit used to make oil

is limited to a single West African species rather than the whole genus
African oil palm
vsElaeis guineensis
  • South African
5.3

A tall tropical tree from West Africa whose fruit is used to make palm oil

is the formal scientific name used in classification
Elaeis
vsElaeis guineensis
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical palm tree grown for the oil from its fruit

is the specific species native to West and Southwest Africa

Surface Forms

Elaeis guineensis singular
Elaeis guineensises plural

Morphology

Elaeis + guineensis

The name is a Latin binomial combining a genus name (Elaeis, here glossed as oil palms) with a species epithet that typically signals geographic origin (guineensis = ‘of/from Guinea’). Structurally the meaning is compositional if a learner knows both parts, but these are specialized/Latin forms (and 'guineensis' is not a common English word), so the sense is only partially predictable to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Elaeis guineensis may come from an old Greek word Elaeis meaning 'olive' and from guineensis meaning 'from Guinea' in West Africa. That's why the name helps you remember it is an oil palm with oil-rich fruit.