[yew] n [ME ew, fr. OE iw; akin to OHG iwa yew, MIr eo] (bef. 12c) 1 a: any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and fruits with a fleshy aril: as (1): a long-lived Eurasian tree or shrub (T. baccata)--called also English yew (2): a low straggling bush (T. canadensis) of the eastern U.S. and Canada b: the wood of a yew; esp: the heavy fine-grained wood of English yew
2. archaic: an archery bow made of yew