a tree, Pericopsis elata (or Afrormosia elata), of western Africa, having wood that resembles teak and is used in cabinetwork.
2.
the wood of this tree.
Origin: < NL (1906), orig. the genus name, equiv. to L Āfr-, s. of Āfer (adj.) African + NL Ormosia a genus to which the plant was first attributed (irreg. from Gk hórmos necklace + NL -ia-ia; so called because the seeds of the plant were strung as necklaces)
[af-rawr-moh-zee-uh, -zhuh, -rohr-] 
