tung tree

/ˈtʊŋ ˌtɹiː//ˈtʌŋ ˌtɹiː/

noun

Any of the genus Vernicia, especially Vernicia fordii (syn. Aleurites fordii), of east Asian trees or shrubs cultivated for their seeds which are a source of tung oil.

Similar
tungtung-oil treeAleurites fordii
OriginChinese 桐 →
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Meanings

nountung tree (plural tung trees)

plural tung trees

  1. Any of the genus Vernicia, especially Vernicia fordii (syn. Aleurites fordii), of east Asian trees or shrubs cultivated for their seeds which are a source of tung oil.
  2. biologyA candlenut tree, of either of the two species of the genus Aleurites, which also yield such oil.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounChinese tree bearing seeds that yield tung oil

Similar
tungtung-oil treeAleurites fordii
Broader
angiospermous treeflowering tree
Also see
tungtung oil tree

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Chinese桐
  2. Englishtung tree

Borrowed from Chinese 桐 (tóng).

More words from Chinese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 油桐
  • 油桐 (yóutóng)East Asian tree
Finnish tungpuu
  • tungpuuEast Asian tree
French tung
  • tungEast Asian tree
Japanese シナアブラギリ
  • シナアブラギリ (Shina aburagiri)East Asian tree
Portuguese tungue
  • tungueEast Asian tree
Russian тунг, ту́нговое де́рево
  • тунг (tung)East Asian tree
  • ту́нговое де́рево (túngovoje dérevo)East Asian tree
Cite this entry
APA

tung tree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tung%20tree

MLA

“tung tree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tung%20tree. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tung tree,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tung%20tree.

Source: tung tree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.