/buk"thawrn'/ , n.
1. any of several, sometimes thorny trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Rhamnus, esp. R. frangula, the bark of which is used in medicine. Cf. buckthorn family .
2. a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Bumelia, of the sapodilla family, esp. B. lycioides, a thorny tree having elliptic leaves and large clusters of white flowers, common in the southern and part of the central U.S.
[ 1570-80; BUCK 1 + THORN, rendering NL cervi spina ]