ficus

noun

fi·​cus ˈfī-kəs How to pronounce ficus (audio)
plural ficus or ficuses
: any of a genus (Ficus) of chiefly tropical trees, shrubs, and woody vines of the mulberry family that have deciduous or evergreen leaves, often begin life as epiphytes, and include some (such as F. benjamina) grown as houseplants and others (such as F. carica) cultivated for their oblong or pear-shaped edible syconium fruit : fig entry 1 sense 1b compare banyan, rubber plant, strangler fig, weeping fig

Examples of ficus in a Sentence

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Palm trees, ficus hedges, and gardenia bushes line the swimming pool of Tommy and Dee Hilfiger’s home. Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 5 Dec. 2024 Figs Figs, a soft, sweet fruit of the ficus tree, are an underrated fruit that can help relieve symptoms of constipation. Anna Meyer, Cpt, Health, 16 Oct. 2024 Catan’s design revolved around a large ficus tree which was already located in the middle of the home. Anouk Sarfati, Architectural Digest, 17 Aug. 2024 On nearby Oxford Avenue, a ficus tree’s shallow roots (the city’s failure to maintain its trees is the biggest cause of sidewalk upheaval) have pretty much destroyed a 12-foot stretch of sidewalk, elevating it a foot or more above street level at its peak. Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ficus 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, fig

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ficus was in 1693

Dictionary Entries Near ficus

Cite this Entry

“Ficus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ficus. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

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