any plant of the liliaceous genus Aloe, chiefly native to southern Africa, with fleshy spiny-toothed leaves and red or yellow flowers
2. American aloe
Derived forms
aloetic (ˌæləʊˈɛtɪk)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin aloē, from Greek
aloe in American English
(ˈælˌoʊ; for 1 ˈæloʊˌi; ˈælˌoʊ)
nounWord forms: pluralˈalˌoes
1.
any of a large genus (Aloe) of plants of the lily family, native to Africa, with fleshy leaves that are spiny along the edge and with drooping clusters of tubular, red or yellow flowers
2. [pl., with sing. v.]
a bitter, laxative drug made from the juice of certain aloe leaves
3. [pl., with sing. v.]
the aromatic heartwood of several trees of a genus (Aquilaria) of the mezereum family, native to the East Indies and Southeast Asia
Derived forms
aloetic (ˌaloˈetic) (ˈæloʊˈɛtɪk)
adjective
Word origin
ME < L < Gr aloē < ? Heb ahalim, pl. of ahal, aloe wood < Sans agaru
Examples of 'aloe' in a sentence
aloe
Great for holidays because of the aloe vera and convenience.
The Sun (2016)
I would burn in the sun and my mother would cover me in leaves from an aloe plant.