heath

views updated May 11 2018

heath / hē[unvoicedth]/ • n. 1. an area of open uncultivated land, esp. in Britain, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse grasses. ∎  Ecol. vegetation dominated by dwarf shrubs of the heath family: [as adj.] heath vegetation. 2. a dwarf shrub with small leathery leaves and small pink or purple bell-shaped flowers, characteristic of heathland and moorland. • Erica and related genera, family Ericaceae (the heath family): many species, including the common European cross-leaved heath (E. tetralix).DERIVATIVES: heath·y adj.

heath

views updated May 18 2018

heath1 open waste land. OE. hǣð, corr, to OS. hētha, MLG., MDu. hēde, MHG. heide (Du., G. heide), ON. heiōe, Goth. haiþi :- Gmc. *χaiþiz :- IE. *kait-, repr. also by Gaul. cēto- in place-names, OW. coit (W. coed) wood, forest.

heath

views updated May 23 2018

heath Any of various woody evergreen shrubs of the genus Erica, found in Europe, Africa, and North America. They generally have bell-shaped blue or purple flowers. Family Ericaceae. The term also applies to land that supports heath.

heath

views updated Jun 27 2018

heath2 plant of the genus Erica. OE. hǣð = OS. hēth(i)a, (M)LG., (M)Du. heide, OHG. heida (G. heide) :- WGmc. *χaiþjō; f. prec.