hamamelis
/amamelis/from spelling rules
The English phrase "witch hazel" is translated into Spanish as hamamelis.
hamamelis refers to the tree of the genus Hamamelis.
Meaning: tree of the genus Hamamelis (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, Hamamelis is used to refer to witch hazel.
How do you pronounce it?
/amamelis/
Did you know?
- The name hamamelis is a linguistic stowaway from Ancient Greek, where the original word actually referred to the 'medlar' fruit tree rather than the hazel.
- Some Spanish botanical texts treat hamamelis as an invariable noun, meaning the word remains exactly the same whether referring to one tree or many.
- In Spanish, hamamelis is a masculine noun despite ending in -is, a vowel ending that does not follow the typical feminine patterns learners are taught.
Examples in context
- El hamamelis es muy útil en la cosmética.Witch hazel is very useful in cosmetics.
- Necesito un extracto de hamamelis para la piel.I need a witch hazel extract for my skin.
- El hamamelis crece en climas templados.Witch hazel grows in temperate climates.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are walking through a botanical garden.
- JavierMira Sofía, aquel árbol es un hamamelis.Look Sofía, that tree is a witch hazel.
- SofíaEs muy bonito, pero no conozco esa planta.It is very beautiful, but I don't know that plant.
- JavierEl hamamelis es famoso por sus flores amarillas.The witch hazel is famous for its yellow flowers.
- SofíaAhora entiendo por qué destaca tanto.Now I understand why it stands out so much.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hamamelis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
