any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Euonymus, of northern temperate regions, having opposite leaves, branching clusters of small, greenish or purplish flowers, and crimson or rose-colored capsules that on opening disclose the seed.
any tree or shrub of the N temperate genus Euonymus, such as the spindle tree, whose seeds are each enclosed in a fleshy, typically red, aril: family Celastraceae
Word Origin
C18: from Latin: spindle tree, from Greek euōnumos fortunately named, from eu- + onomaname