fem. proper name, literally "inhabiting woods," from Latin silva "wood, forest" (see sylvan). Also the genus name of warblers, hence adjective Sylvian.

tree genus, Latin quercus "oak," from PIE *kwerkwu-, assimilated form of *perkwu- "oak" (see fir). Related: Quercine (adj.).

genus of the pink family, 1771, from Modern Latin (Linnaeus), from Greek gypsos "chalk, gypsum" (see gypsum) + philein "to love" (see philo-).

name of a genus of Old World monkeys, Modern Latin, from Portuguese macaca, fem. of macaco, a name from an African language of the Congo (compare macaque).

1849, gerbile, from French gerbille, from Modern Latin Gerbillus, the genus name, from gerbo, from Arabic yarbu. Earlier English form, jarbuah (1660s), was directly from Arabic.

genus of araceous climbing shrubs native to tropical America, 1837, from the Modern Latin genus name (Schott, 1830), from Greek philodendron, neuter of philodendros "loving trees," from philo- "loving" (see philo-) + dendron "tree" (from PIE *der-drew-, from root *deru- "to be firm, solid, steadfast," also forming words for "wood, tree"). The plant so called because it clings to trees.

also monk's-hood, plant of the genus Aconitum, 1570s, from monk (n.) + hood (n.1). So called for the shape of the flowers.

genus of shrubs widespread in Eurasia and North America, the wayfaring-tree, 1731, from Latin viburnum, which is said to be probably an Etruscan word.

1763 as an insect genus (including the cochineal bug and the kermes); 1883 as a type of bacterium; from Greek kokkos "grain, seed, berry" (see cocco-). Related: Coccoid.

1881 in biology, "the single or sole type of a species in its genus, a genus in its family, etc.;" 1882 in printers' arts, "a print from a picture painted on a metal plate" (only one proof can be made, as the picture is transferred to the paper); 1893 as a brand name of typesetting machine; see mono- + type. Related: Monotypic (1878 in the biological sense)