Conifer
/ˈkɒn.ɪ.fər/noun
A cone-bearing tree, especially one with needles or scale-like leaves.
Did you know?The word was built in modern scientific Latin from Latin conus (“cone”) + ferre (“to bear”), and that same ferre root also lives in words like transfer, refer, and fertile.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kônos
“cone, pointed object”
Latin
Latin
conus
“cone”
Latin
Latin
ferre
“to bear, carry”
17th Century
New Latin
conifer
“a cone-bearing plant or tree”
Modern English
English
conifer
“a cone-bearing tree, especially a pine, fir, spruce, or similar evergreen”