hau tree

[ hou-tree ]

noun
  1. a clambering tree, Hibiscus tileaceus, of tropical shores, having leathery, ovate leaves and yellow flowers that turn dark red as they fade, and yielding a fiber used as cordage.

Origin of hau tree

1
First recorded in 1840–45; from Hawaiian hau “hau tree” + tree
  • Also called mahoe, sea hi·bis·cus [seehahy-bis-kuhs, hi-] /ˈsi haɪˈbɪs kəs, hɪ-/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024