Medical Dictionary
Main Entry:
eu·ge·nia Pronunciation:
yü-'jEn-y&, -'jE-nE-& Function:
noun 1 capitalized : a large genus oftropical trees and shrubs of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) having aromatic leaves and including one (
E. aromatica) that is the source of cloves
2 : any tree of the genus
Eugenia Euágène /[OE]-zhen/ (1663–1736), Prince of Savoy. A general in the service of Austria, Eugène served brilliantly in wars against theTurks and later the French. In the Spanish War of Succession (1701–1714) he fought in a long series of campaigns and won several battles. He was one of the victors in the famous battle atBlenheim in 1704. The genus
Eugenia was named in his honor by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753.