Melia
/ˈmiːliə/noun
Melia is a genus of flowering trees, and in Greek mythology, Melia is an ash-tree nymph.
Did you know?Greek mythology connects Melia with the ash tree, whose offspring were traditionally associated with the fierce ash-spear-bearing warriors called the Meliae.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*melid-
“A reconstructed word associated with the ash tree.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μελία (melía)
“Ash tree; the feminine form also became the name of an ash-tree nymph.”
Classical Greek
Greek
Μελία (Melía)
“A mythological nymph linked with ash trees and, in some traditions, the river god Inachus.”
18th Century
Botanical Latin
Melia
“A plant genus established for trees related to the classical Greek word for ash.”
Modern English
English
melia
“A genus of trees in the mahogany family, including the chinaberry or bead tree.”
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