clove

(klōv)

noun

  1. the dried flower bud of a tropical evergreen tree (Eugenia aromatica) of the myrtle family, originally native to the East Indies: used as a pungent, fragrant spice
  2. the tree

Origin: ME clowe < OFr clou (de girofle), lit., nail (of clove) < L clavus, nail (see close); so called from its shape

noun

a segment of a bulb, as of garlic

Origin: ME < OE clufu, akin to cleofan, to split: see cleave

transitive verb, intransitive verb

cleave

See clove in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. An evergreen tree (Syzygium aromaticum) native to the Moluccas and widely cultivated in warm regions for its aromatic dried flower buds.
  2. A flower bud of this plant, used whole or ground as a spice. Often used in the plural.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French clou (de girofle), nail (of the clove tree)

Origin: , from Latin clāvus, nail

.

noun
One of the small sections of a separable bulb, as that of garlic.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English clufu; see gleubh- in Indo-European roots

.

verb
  1. A past tense of cleave1.
  2. Archaic A past participle of cleave1.

verb
Archaic
A past tense of cleave2.

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