witch hazel

noun

Hamamelis virginiana, native to eastern North America.

Similar
American witch hazelwitch hazel plantwych hazelwych hazel plant
OriginMiddle English wiche ← Old English wiċe →
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Meanings

nounwitch hazel (countable and uncountable, plural witch hazels)

plural witch hazels · alternative witch-hazel · alternative wych-hazel · alternative wych-hasel · alternative wych hazel · alternative witch-hasel · alternative wych hasel · alternative witch hasel · alternative witch-hasell · alternative wych-hasell · alternative witch-hazell · alternative wych-hazell

  1. Any of several small deciduous trees, of the genus Hamamelis, having yellow flowers
    1. UScountableuncountableHamamelis virginiana, native to eastern North America.

      Synonyms: American witch hazel

    2. UScountableuncountableHamamelis vernalis, native to the Ozarks.
  2. uncountableAn extract of the bark and/or leaves of this plant, used as an astringent
  3. countableobsoleteuncountableA wych-elm, or a certain subspecies of it distinguished from wych-elm.
  4. EssexcountableobsoleteuncountableHornbeam (Carpinus betulus).

Synonyms & antonyms

nounHamamelis virginiana, native to eastern North America.

Similar
American witch hazel

More synonyms by meaning

nounany of several shrubs or trees of the genus Hamamelis; bark yields an astringent lotion

Similar
witch hazel plantwych hazelwych hazel plant
Broader
shrubbush

nounlotion consisting of an astringent alcoholic solution containing an extract from the witch hazel plant

Similar
wych hazel
Broader
lotionapplication

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Englishwiċe“wych elm or rowan”
  2. Middle Englishwiche
  3. Englishwitch hazel

See Middle English wiche, from Old English wiċe (“wych elm or rowan”), perhaps derived from the root of wīcan (“to give way”). Folk etymology refers to use by witches and other sorcerers of folkish magic using the plant in potions; however, compare German Zaubernuss (“witch hazel”, literally “magic nut”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian вирджински орех
  • вирджински орех (virdžinski oreh)Hamamelis virginiana
Dutch toverhazelaar
  • toverhazelaartree of the genus Hamamelis
Finnish taikapähkinä
  • taikapähkinätree of the genus Hamamelis
French café du diable
  • café du diableHamamelis virginiana
German herbstblühende Zaubernuss, virginische Zaubernuss
  • herbstblühende ZaubernussHamamelis virginiana
  • virginische ZaubernussHamamelis virginiana
  • Zaubernusstree of the genus Hamamelis
Irish coll Virginiach
  • coll VirginiachHamamelis virginiana
Polish oczar wirginijski, oczar wiosenny
  • oczar wirginijskiHamamelis virginiana
  • oczar wiosennyHamamelis vernalis
  • oczartree of the genus Hamamelis
Romanian hamamelis
  • hamamelistree of the genus Hamamelis
Swedish trollhassel
  • trollhasseltree of the genus Hamamelis
Turkish acı fındık, acı fındık
  • acı fındıkHamamelis virginiana
  • acı fındıktree of the genus Hamamelis
Welsh collen ystwyth
  • collen ystwythtree of the genus Hamamelis
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: witch hazel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.