[ 'aləʊ ]
■ noun
1》 a succulent tropical plant with a rosette of thick tapering leaves and bell-shaped or tubular flowers on long stems. [Genus Aloe .]
↘( ~s or bitter ~s ) a strong laxative obtained from the bitter juice of various kinds of ~.
↘(also American ~ ) another term for century plant .
2》 (also ~s wood ) the fragrant heartwood of a tropical Asian tree.
↘the resin obtained from ~s wood, used in perfume, incense, and medicine.
Origin
OE alewe , alwe , via L. from Gk aloē ; reinforced in late ME by OFr. ~s '~', hence freq. used in the plural.