U

juniper

noun

any evergreen, coniferous shrub or tree of the genus Juniperus, especially J. communis, having cones that resemble dark-blue or blackish berries used in flavoring gin and in medicine as a diuretic.
a tree mentioned in the Old Testament, said to be the retem.

noun

any coniferous shrub or small tree of the genus Juniperus, of the N hemisphere, having purple berry-like cones. The cones of J. communis (common or dwarf juniper) are used as a flavouring in making ginSee also red cedar (def. 1)
any of various similar trees, grown mainly as ornamentals
Old Testament one of the trees used in the building of Solomon’s temple (I Kings 6:15, 34) and for shipbuilding (Ezekiel 27:5)

“evergreen shrub,” late 14c., from Latin iuniperus (source of French genièvre, Spanish enebro, Portuguese zimbro, Italian ginepro), of uncertain origin, perhaps related to iunco “reed.” Watkins has it from PIE *yoini-paros “bearing juniper berries,” from *yoi-ni- “juniper berry.” Applied to various North American species from 1748. In the Bible, it renders Hebrew rethem, the name of a white-flowered shrub unrelated to the European evergreen.