Meanings
plural wayfaring-trees · alternative wayfaring tree
- biologyA much-branched European shrub of large size (Viburnum lantana), with dense cymes of small white flowers, the foliage and young shoots thickly covered with soft mealy down.
Synonyms: hoarwithy, mealy-tree, triptoe
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA much-branched European shrub of large size (Viburnum lantana), with dense cymes of small white flowers, the foliage and young shoots thickly covered with soft mealy down.
Origin
Coined c. 1597 by John Gerard, English herbalist. The plant is common along waysides in hedgerows, as might be passed by wayfarers.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian черна калина
- черна калина (černa kalina)Viburnum lantana
Catalan tortellatge, cantellatge
- tortellatgeViburnum lantana
- cantellatgeViburnum lantana
Czech kalina tušalaj
- kalina tušalajViburnum lantana
Finnish villaheisi
- villaheisiViburnum lantana
French viorne lantane
- viorne lantaneViburnum lantana
German Wolliger Schneeball
- Wolliger SchneeballViburnum lantana
Irish craobh fhiáin
- craobh fhiáinViburnum lantana
Persian هفتکول
- هفتکولViburnum lantana
Polish kalina hordowina
- kalina hordowinaViburnum lantana
Russian гордо́вина, кали́на гордо́вина
- гордо́вина (gordóvina)Viburnum lantana
- кали́на гордо́вина (kalína gordóvina)Viburnum lantana
Swedish parkolvon
- parkolvonViburnum lantana
Turkish germişek
- germişekViburnum lantana
Ukrainian гордовина
- гордовина (hordovyna)Viburnum lantana
Welsh gwifwrnwydden
- gwifwrnwyddenViburnum lantana
Cite this entry
wayfaring-tree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wayfaring-tree
“wayfaring-tree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wayfaring-tree. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wayfaring-tree,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wayfaring-tree.
Source: wayfaring-tree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.