online medical dictionary | definition of hazel

1. Consisting of hazels, or of the wood of the hazel; pertaining to, or derived from, the hazel; as, a hazel wand. "I sit me down beside the hazel grove." (Keble)

2. Of a light brown colour, like the hazelnut. "Thou hast hazel eyes."

3. <botany> A shrub or small tree of the genus Corylus, as the C. Avellana, bearing a nut containing a kernel of a mild, farinaceous taste; the filbert. The American species are C. Americana, which produces the common hazelnut, and C. Rostrata. See Filbert.

4. A miner's name for freestone. Hazel earth, soil suitable for the hazel; a fertile loam.

5. <ornithology> Hazel grouse, a European grouse (Bonasa betulina), allied to the American ruffed grouse. Hazel hoe, a kind of grub hoe. Witch hazel. See Witch-hazel, and Hamamelis.

Origin: OE. Hasel, AS. Haesel; akin to D. Hazelaar, G. Hazel, OHG. Hasal, hasala, Icel. Hasl, Dan & Sw. Hassel, L. Corylus, for cosylus.

(01 Mar 1998)