any of various thorny trees or shrubs of the N temperate rosaceous genus Crataegus, esp C. oxyacantha, having white or pink flowers and reddish fruits (haws)
Also called (in Britain): may, may tree, mayflower
Word origin
Old English haguthorn from haga hedge + thorn thorn; related to Old Norse hagthorn, Middle High German hagendorn, Dutch haagdoorn
whitethorn in American English
(ˈhwaitˌθɔrn, ˈwait-)
noun
a hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata, having white flowers
Word origin
[1225–75; ME, trans. of L alba spīna]This word is first recorded in the period 1225–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: account, canvas, marshal, park, robe