noun
juniper
JOO-nih-per/ˈdʒuːnɪpər/
An evergreen shrub or tree with aromatic needles and berrylike cones.
A juniper grows beside the fence, its branches green year-round.
Etymology
The Latin ancestor already named the juniper tree, so the English word preserves a plant name rather than transparently describing its needles or cones. The name’s deeper origin is uncertain.
In context
there's the alligator juniper that's in this similar habitat and historically the native americans have harvested branches but not harvested the whole tree
More examples
- We plant junipers along the driveway for year-round greenery.
- The recipe calls for a few dried juniper berries.
- The juniper's needles release a sharp scent when crushed.
Forms
juniper · junipers
Similar words
- conifer
- A broader term for cone-bearing trees and shrubs.
- evergreen
- Any plant retaining foliage year-round, not specifically a juniper.