noun
Uncommon
hazel
HAY-zuhl
Hazel (noun) means a small tree or shrub (genus Corylus) that produces edible nuts. Example: “They planted a row of hazel trees along the boundary.”
noun
1
A small tree or shrub (genus Corylus) that produces edible nuts.
"They planted a row of hazel trees along the boundary."
adj
1
A greenish-brown colour, especially of eyes.
"Doolittle had the hazelest eyeballs, the winsomest spinal pelt."
— Margaret Fiske, Sense & Circuitry: Cyberth 1813 (2011)
"His eyes were somewhere indefinite between green and hazel. Sometimes appearing hazeler or greener depending on how the light flickered on them."
— Francine J. Colangelo (2012)
"She has striking hazel eyes."
"And now I should probably say something, but that would involve words, and WHAT EVEN ARE WORDS, and he’s looking at me with the hazelest eyes and the softest, most upturned mouth."
— Becky Albertalli (2017)
How to use hazel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe nut tree, or the warm greenish-brown colour named after its nuts.
Common pairings
hazel eyes
hazel tree
hazel bush
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Word forms
- Plural
- hazels
- Comparative
- more hazel, hazeler
- Superlative
- most hazel, hazelest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They planted a row of _____ trees along the boundary.
Etymology
From Old English hæsl, going back to a Proto-Indo-European root for the hazel tree.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “hazel” mean?
The word “hazel” means a small tree or shrub (genus Corylus) that produces edible nuts. In plain terms, the nut tree, or the warm greenish-brown colour named after its nuts.
How do you pronounce “hazel”?
“Hazel” is pronounced HAY-zuhl (/ˈheɪzəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “hazel” in a sentence?
Here is “hazel” used in a sentence: “They planted a row of hazel trees along the boundary.”
What part of speech is “hazel”?
Depending on how it is used, “hazel” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “hazel” come from?
The word “hazel” comes from Old English. From Old English hæsl, going back to a Proto-Indo-European root for the hazel tree.
Is “hazel” a common word?
“Hazel” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “hazel” have?
“Hazel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small tree or shrub (genus Corylus) that produces edible nuts.
What colour is hazel exactly?
Hazel describes a greenish-brown colour, most often used to describe eye colour that blends brown and green (and sometimes gold) tones. It sits between pure brown and pure green, which is why hazel eyes can appear to shift shade depending on lighting.
Is hazel the same as brown eyes?
No, hazel is distinct from plain brown because it specifically describes a greenish-brown mix rather than a solid brown tone. Hazel eyes typically show variation between brown, green, and sometimes amber within the same iris.
Are hazelnuts and the hazel tree the same thing?
Hazelnuts come from the hazel, a small tree or shrub of the genus Corylus that produces edible nuts. So 'hazel' refers to the tree or shrub itself, while 'hazelnut' refers specifically to its nut.
