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hornbeam
(hôrn′bēm′)
noun
- any of a genus (Carpinus) of small, hardy trees of the birch family, with smooth, gray bark and drooping catkins with flat, papery bracts around a greenish nut
- the very hard, white wood of this tree, which takes a hornlike polish and is used for tool handles, etc.
Origin: horn + beam
See hornbeam in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- Any of various trees of the genus Carpinus, having smooth grayish bark and hard whitish wood.
- The wood of one of these trees.
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