hawthorn
noun
haw·thorn
| \ ˈhȯ-ˌthȯrn
\
\
Definition of hawthorn
: any of a genus (Crataegus) of spring-flowering spiny shrubs or small trees of the rose family with glossy and often lobed leaves, white or pink fragrant flowers, and small red fruits
Illustration of hawthorn
hawthorn: 1 leaves and flowers, 2 fruits
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Examples of hawthorn in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sometime within the past 170 years, populations of Rhagoletis pomonella jumped from infecting the fruits of native hawthorn trees in North America to infecting apple trees introduced by European colonists, a move that formed an incipient species. — Quanta Magazine, "New Hybrid Species Remix Old Genes Creatively," 10 Sep. 2019 Plants with broadleaves like ligustrum, Indian hawthorn, loropetalum and azaleas can be trimmed back to bare stems, but if a few leaves are left, the recovery is often faster. — Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, "Cut stems to increase number of crape myrtle flower heads," 20 July 2019 Evergreens generally are used for topiary, but occasionally a deciduous plant such as English hawthorn or European beech is used. — Washington Post, "Topiary tips: When you want shrubs to double as sculpture," 30 July 2019 In autumn, the ginko tree, serviceberry and aspen change to golden yellow while the Russian hawthorns bear fruits. — Colleen Smith, The Denver Post, "Denver’s oasis has been tucked away in the Denver Botanic Gardens for 40 years," 29 June 2019 Oaks are the number one choice, followed by willow, cherry, birch, crabapple, maple, pine, hickory, hawthorn and spruce, in descending order. — Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, "What other native trees should I plant?," 13 June 2019 According to Irish lore, the bush-like hawthorn trees on the park perimeter are where the fairies meet. — Amy Tara Koch, Condé Nast Traveler, "How to Plan a Family Trip to Ireland," 12 July 2018 Carissa hollies are ideal change-outs for the hawthorns. — Neil Sperry, star-telegram, "Overgrown shrubs? Thinning turfgrass? Here are solutions to common gardening struggles," 13 June 2018 The hawthorn’s branches and red berries are part of the town’s seal. — Peter Marteka, Courant Community, "Glastonbury, With Its Ferry Rides, Orchards, Historical Sites, Is Celebrating 325 Years," 13 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hawthorn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for hawthorn
hawthorn
noun
English Language Learners Definition of hawthorn
: a type of bush or small tree with white or pink flowers and small red fruits
See the full definition for hawthorn in the English Language Learners Dictionary
hawthorn
noun
haw·thorn
| \ ˈhȯ-ˌthȯrn
\
\
Kids Definition of hawthorn
: a thorny shrub or small tree with shiny leaves, white, pink, or red flowers, and small red fruits
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