ar·bor·vi·tae

also ar·bor vi·tae (är′bər-vī′tē)

1. Any of various coniferous evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Thuja of North America and eastern Asia, having flattened branchlets with opposite, scalelike leaves and small cones. They are grown as ornamentals and for timber. Also called thuja.

2. Any similar plant of the related genera Platycladus or Thujopsis.

3. Anatomy The white nerve tissue of the cerebellum, which has a treelike outline in a median section.

[From New Latin arbor vītae, tree of life : Latin arbor, tree + Latin vītae, genitive of vīta, life; see vital.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ar•bor•vi•tae

(ˌɑr bərˈvaɪ ti)

n.

1. any of several evergreen trees of the genus Thuja, of the cypress family, having a scaly bark and scalelike leaves on branchlets.

2. Also, ar′bor vi′tae. a treelike longitudinal pattern formed by the white and gray matter of the brain.

[1655–65; < New Latin, Latin: tree of life]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

arborvitae - any of several Asian and North American conifers of the genera Thuja and Thujopsis

canoe cedar, red cedar, Thuja plicata, western red cedar - large valuable arborvitae of northwestern United States

American arborvitae, northern white cedar, Thuja occidentalis, white cedar - small evergreen of eastern North America having tiny scalelike leaves on flattened branchlets

Oriental arborvitae, Platycladus orientalis, Thuja orientalis - Asiatic shrub or small tree widely planted in United States and Europe; in some classifications assigned to its own genus

hiba arborvitae, Thujopsis dolobrata - slow-growing medium-large Japanese evergreen used as an ornamental

conifer, coniferous tree - any gymnospermous tree or shrub bearing cones

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The Chicago Botanic Garden recommends speckled alder, American filbert, hornbeam and arborvitae!

How to remove invasive buckthorn

70 saplings of Eastern arborvitae were planted in the center of the city from both sides along the Erkindik boulevard from Kievskaya street to Chokmorov street.

Over 300 seedlings of coniferous trees planted on Bishkek streets

'Try to avoid planting arborvitae species in areas that get lots of heavy, wet snow," Andersen advises.

WILL THE SNOW ON MY TREES HARM THEM?

The client's neighbor had recently run a power cord along a row of tall Arborvitae trees to get some lighting into the daughter's playhouse.

Big Trees Inc. Replaces a Significant Hedge Between Two Properties

Wednesday in the 5200 block of Donohoe Avenue in some arborvitae bushes, according to fire officials, but it quickly spread to the exterior wall of the house.

Boys, 12, face arson charge after Eugene house fire

Learning from landscapes, arborvitae special issue.

Learning from change in the Sangha Tri-National landscape/ Apprentissage du changement dans le paysage du Tri-National de la Sangha/Aprendiendo de los cambios en el paisaje tri-nacional de la sangha

In my back yard I've got pine needles, branches from an arborvitae (cedar), althea and maple leaves, and daylily fronds, just to name a few.

Paint it! A DIY AR-15 camouflage finish! Here's how to give your black gun a tasteful and attractive Krylon touch

The perimeter on Barre and Old Turnpike roads would be planted with a combination of forsythia and arborvitae to act as a buffer.

Solar farm backers aim to overturn denial; Appeal filed in Superior Court

A hedge of emerald arborvitae encloses the garden on two sides and creates an atmosphere of privacy and calm.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville Ga.: submitted by: The Fockele Garden Co. Gainesville, Ga

-Greens such as buxus sempervirens (dark-green boxwood, small leaves), Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' Sawara False Cypress (soft, feathery, blue foliage), Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold' Winterberry Holly (orangey- gold fruit) or Microbiota decussate Russian Arborvitae (purplish hued foliage).

ENTERTAINING TIPS - HOW TO BE THE PERFECT party host

The inky scratches of bare branches, the huddled forms of arborvitae. Above all of this his house blazed with light.

Preludes