ficus
/ˈfaɪkəs/
noun
Origin
Latin
ficus — fig tree
Overview
Meaning Now
- A genus of trees, shrubs, and climbers in the family Moraceae, including the edible fig (Ficus carica).
- A plant belonging to this genus, often kept as a houseplant.
Literal older meaning
fig tree
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
ficus
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term Ficus was established as the formal scientific name for the genus of fig trees in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in his work 'Species Plantarum'. It draws directly from the Latin word for the edible fig, which was a staple crop in Mediterranean antiquity.
Evolution
- Latin
ficus
“fig tree”
Classic Latin term for the tree and fruit.
- 18th century (Linnaean)
Ficus
“Botanical genus name”
Carl Linnaeus adopted the Classical Latin name for the genus classification.
- Modern English
ficus
“General term for plants of the genus Ficus”
Used widely in gardening and horticulture.
Connections
Word parts
ficus
root
fig tree
Related across languages
French
figuier
fig tree
Italian
fico
fig
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Related to ficus
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.