acacia

acacia · noun¹

1. Pre-Greek · derived from
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂eḱ-“sharp”
3. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀκακία“shittah tree”
4. Latin · borrowed fromacacia
5. English todayacacia

From Latin acacia, from Ancient Greek ἀκακία (akakía, “shittah tree”), either from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”) (compare ἀκή (akḗ, “point”)) or more likely a Pre-Greek word. First attested before 1398. Doublet of cassie.

acacia · noun²

Unknown.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• First attested around 1350 to 1470. A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
• First attested around 1350 to 1470. The thickened or dried juice of several species in Acacieae, in particular Vachellia nilotica (syn. Acacia nilotica, Egyptian acacia).
• First attested in the mid 17th century. A false acacia; robinia tree (Robinia pseudoacacia).
• First attested in the early 19th century. Gum arabic; gum acacia.