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cy·press

(sīprĭs)

a. Any of various evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Cupressus, native to Eurasia and North America and having opposite, scalelike leaves and globose woody cones.

b. Any of several similar or related coniferous trees, such as the bald cypress.

c. The wood of any of these trees.

2. Cypress branches used as a symbol of mourning.

[Middle English cipres, from Old French, from Late Latin cypressus, probably blend of Latin cupressus and cyparissus (from Greek kuparissos).]

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cypress

Monterey cypress

Cupressus macrocarpa

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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