/lig"neuhm vuy"tee, vee"tuy/
1. either of two tropical American trees, Guaiacum officinale or G. sanctum, of the caltrop family, having very hard, heavy wood.
2. the wood of such a tree, used for making pulley blocks, mallet heads, bearings, etc.
3. any of several other trees yielding a similar hard wood.
[ 1585-95; ]