a deciduous tree of north temperate regions, with oval serrated leaves, inconspicuous drooping flowers, and tough winged nuts. It yields hard pale timber 鹅耳枥
Genus Carpinus, family Betulaceae: several species, including the common Eurasian C. betulus, with a silvery-grey bark, and the American hornbeam (C. caroliniana) 鹅耳枥属,桦木科: 数种,包括常见的有银灰色树皮的欧亚大陆的欧洲鹅耳枥和美洲鹅耳枥(拉丁名C. caroliniana)
语源
late Middle English: so named because of the tree's hard, close-grained wood