Cupressus
/kjuːˈprɛsəs/noun
A cypress tree, especially a tree of the genus Cupressus.
Did you know?The Latin word Cupressus was borrowed from Greek kyparissos, and cypress trees became strongly linked with mourning and cemeteries in the ancient Mediterranean world.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kupr̥- / *kup-
“Uncertain pre-Greek or substrate root often connected with the cypress tree”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κυπάρισσος (kyparissos)
“Cypress tree”
Classical Latin
Latin
cupressus
“Cypress tree”
Old French
Old French
cipres
“Cypress tree”
Middle English
English
cipres / cypres
“Cypress tree”
Modern English
English
cypress
“A cypress tree”
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