arbor vitae Meaning, Definition & Usage

Ar"bor vi"tæ (Also<

• Arbor vitae
• Arbor vitæ

)

Etymology

L., tree of life.

Definitions

1. (Bot.) An evergreen tree of the cypress tribe, genus Thuja. The American species is the T. occidentalis.
2. (Anat.) The treelike disposition of the gray and white nerve tissues in the cerebellum, as seen in a vertical section.