mangrove
UK /ˈmæŋɡɹəʊ̯v/ · US /ˈmæŋɡɹoʊ̯v/ noun
Forms mangroves
- noun Any of various tropical and subtropical evergreen shrubs or trees chiefly of the Rhizophoraceae family that have aerial roots and grow in clumps in brackish intertidal coastal areas; (specifically) any of various trees of the genus Rhizophora, especially the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle).
- noun A forest of such shrubs or trees.
- noun Preceded by a descriptive word: any of various shrubs or trees of genera other than Rhizophora which resemble plants of this genus in appearance and habitat.
- noun (ecology, also attributive) Synonym of mangal (“a tropical and subtropical coastal intertidal swampland ecosystem characterized by mangroves (sense 1) or similar shrubs and trees”).
Synonyms
Etymology
A modification of earlier mangrowe (obsolete) by the influence of grove (“small forest”) through folk etymology. Mangrowe is probably borrowed from Spanish mangle, mangue (whence English mangle) (probably from an Arawak language (such as Taíno), or a Cariban language) + an unknown word ending.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The name of one or two trees of the genus Rhizophora (R. Mangle, and R. mucronata, the last doubtfully distinct) inhabiting muddy shores of tropical regions, where they spread by emitting aërial roots, which fasten in the saline mire and eventually become new stems. The seeds also send down a strong root while yet attached to the parent plant.
- noun The mango fish.
Etymology [Malay manggi-manggi.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “mangrove”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details