witch hazel

See also: witch-hazel

English

Alternative forms

witch-hazel, wych-hazel, wych-hasel, wych hazel, witch-hasel, wych hasel, witch hasel, witch-hasell, wych-hasell, witch-hazell, wych-hazell

Etymology

See Middle English wiche, from Old English wiċe (“wych elm or rowan”), perhaps derived from the root of wīcan (“to give way”). Folk etymology refers to use by witches and other sorcerers of folkish magic using the plant in potions; however, compare German Zaubernuss (“witch hazel”, literally “magic nut”).

Noun

witch hazel (countable and uncountable, plural witch hazels)

(countable) Any of several small deciduous trees, of the genus Hamamelis, having yellow flowers
1. (US) Hamamelis virginiana (eastern North America)
2. (US) Hamamelis vernalis (Ozarks).
(uncountable) An extract of the bark and/or leaves of this plant, used as an astringent
(obsolete) A wych-elm, or a certain subspecies of it distinguished from wych-elm.
(obsolete, Essex) hornbeam, Carpinus betulus

Synonyms

(Hamamelis virginiana): American witch hazel

Derived terms

witch-hazel cone gall aphid (Hormaphis hamamelidis)

Translations

tree of the genus Hamamelis

Cherokee: ᎤᏂᎩᎾ (unigina)
Dutch: toverhazelaar (nl) c
Finnish: taikapähkinä (fi)
German: Zaubernuss (de) f
Polish: oczar (pl) m
Romanian: hamamelis (ro) n
Swedish: trollhassel c
Welsh: collen ystwyth f

Hamamelis virginiana

Bulgarian: вирджински орех m (virdžinski oreh)
Cherokee: ᎦᎾᏑᏛᎶ (ganasudvlo)
French: café du diable (fr) m
German: herbstblühende Zaubernuss, virginische Zaubernuss f
Irish: coll Virginiach m

Hamamelis vernalis