English Explanatory Dictionary

clove

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A very pungent aromatic spice, the unexpanded flower bud of the clove tree.
  2. A clove tree, of the species Syzygium aromaticum (syn. Caryophyllus aromaticus), native to the Moluccas (Indonesian islands), which produces the spice.
  3. An old English measure of weight, containing 7 pounds (3.2 kg), i.e. half a stone.
noun
  1. One of the small bulbs formed in the axils of the scales of a large bulb.
verb
  1. simple past of cleave
noun
  1. A narrow valley with steep sides, used in areas of North America first settled by the Dutch

Pronunciation

/kləʊv/ /kloʊv/ en-us-clove.ogg

Word forms

clove cloves

Etymology

From Middle English clove, an alteration of earlier clowe, borrowed from the first component of Old French clou (de girofle) (modern French clou de girofle), from Latin clāvus (“nail”) for its shape. Also see clāva (“knotty branch, club”). Doublet of clou and clavus.

Related words

cloy cloying clove hitch clove hook cloven

Derived words

clove camphor cloved clove gilliflower clove gillyflower cloveless clove lilli pilli clove pink cloveroot clovetree clovewort
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