Pehuen
/peˈwen/noun
A Chilean and Argentine name for the monkey puzzle tree, especially the Araucaria araucana.
Did you know?Pehuen comes from Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche, and refers to a sacred, edible tree whose seeds helped sustain communities for centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian era
Mapudungun
pewen
“The monkey puzzle tree, especially Araucaria araucana, and its edible seeds”
16th–19th Century
Spanish
pehuén
“Borrowed regional name used in Chile and Argentina for the same tree”
19th Century
Scientific Latin
Araucaria araucana
“Botanical name applied to the species by European naturalists”
Modern English
English
pehuen
“A regional loanword referring to the monkey puzzle tree”