Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
mangrove [mang-grohv, man-] ExamplesWord Origin noun
- any tropical tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, the species of which are mostly low trees growing in marshes or tidal shores, noted for their interlacing above-ground adventitious roots.
- any of various similar plants.
Origin of mangrove 1605–15; alteration (by folk etymology) of earlier mangrow Portuguese mangue ≪ Taino Examples from the Web for mangrove Historical Examples of mangrove
Here, in the dense puka and mangrove scrub, there was hope of safety.
Rodman The Boatsteerer And Other Stories
Louis Becke
We baited with land-crabs, which abound in the mangrove swamps.
W.H.G. Kingston
It is back of the town near a little bridge that spans a mangrove swamp.
O. Henry
It was here of considerable width, bordered by mangrove bushes.
W.H.G. Kingston
There was a creek a little way off lined with mangrove bushes.
W. H. G. Kingston
British Dictionary definitions for mangrove mangrove noun
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- any tropical evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, having stiltlike intertwining aerial roots and growing below the highest tide levels in estuaries and along coasts, forming dense thickets: family Rhizophoraceae
- (as modifier)mangrove swamp
- any of various similar trees or shrubs of the genus Avicennia: family Avicenniaceae
Word Origin for mangrove C17 mangrow (changed through influence of grove), from Portuguese mangue, ultimately from Taino Word Origin and History for mangrove n.
1610s, mangrow, probably from Spanish mangle, mangue (1530s), which is perhaps from Carib or Arawakan. Modern spelling in English (1690s) is from influence of grove. A Malay origin also has been proposed, but it is difficult to explain how it came to be used for an American plant.