Definition of LINDEN (original) (raw)

1

: any of a genus (Tilia of the family Malvaceae, the mallow family) of deciduous trees of temperate regions that have cordate leaves and a winglike bract attached to the peduncle of the flower and fruit and that are often planted as ornamental and shade trees: such as

a

: a commonly cultivated European tree (T. europaea synonym T. vulgaris) much used for ornamental planting

b

: a tree (T. americana) chiefly of the central and eastern U.S.

called also basswood

2

: the light fine-grained white wood of a linden

Illustration of linden

• branch with bract and fruit

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, made of linden wood, from Old English, from lind linden tree; probably akin to Old English līthe gentle — more at lithe

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of linden was in 1577