any of several temperate ericaceous shrubs of the genus Arbutus, esp the strawberry tree of S Europe. They have clusters of white or pinkish flowers, broad evergreen leaves, and strawberry-like berries
2. trailing arbutus
Word origin
C16: from Latin; related to arbor tree
arbutus in American English
(ɑrˈbjutəs)
noun
1.
any of a genus (Arbutus) of trees or shrubs of the heath family, with dark-green leaves, clusters of white or pinkish flowers, and small strawberrylikefruit; esp., the madroño and the strawberry trees
2.
a trailing plant (Epigaea repens) of the heath family, with clusters of white or pink flowers