whitten

noun

whit·​ten
ˈ(h)witᵊn
variants or whitten tree
plural -s
dialectal, England
: any of several trees or shrubs: such as
a
: guelder-rose
b
: wayfaring tree
c
: rowan tree

Word History

Etymology

from (assumed) Middle English whitten tree, from Old English hwītingtrēow, from hwīt white + -ing + trēow tree

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whitten was in 1578

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Dictionary Entries Near whitten

whittawer

whitten

whitterick

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Whitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whitten. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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