cornel

3 synonyms for cornel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A tree or shrub of the dogwood genus Cornus, particularly the European cornel, Cornus mas.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

dogwood cornelian cherry cornel cherry

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A tree or shrub of the dogwood genus Cornus, particularly the European cornel, Cornus mas.

“The cornel in our garden turned deep red in autumn.”

dogwood

2. noun

The small, cherry-like fruit of the cornel tree, some kinds of which can be eaten.

“She picked a handful of ripe cornels from the tree.”

cornelian cherry cornel cherry

How to use cornel

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a cornel tree ripe cornels European cornel cornel cherry

This is a fairly specialist word, used mostly in gardening and botany rather than everyday chat.

Etymology

Cornel comes from Middle English corneille, itself taken from Middle French corneille. That word traces back to a Vulgar Latin form based on the Latin cornus, the name for the European cornel.

Full origin of cornel →

Frequently asked questions

What does cornel mean?

Cornel refers to a dogwood tree or shrub, especially the European cornel, and also to its cherry-like fruit.

Is a cornel the same as a cornelian cherry?

Yes, the fruit of the cornel tree is also called a cornelian cherry or cornel cherry.

Can you eat cornels?

Some cornels, including those of the European cornel, produce fruit that is edible.

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of cornel