1. Any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Corylus bearing edible nuts enclosed in a leafy husk
   "We gathered hazelnuts from the hazel tree in our backyard";
   - hazelnut, hazelnut tree
    
2. [Austral, NZ] A small Australian tree with oval leaves and clusters of tiny cream flowers
   "The hazel tree grows commonly in Tasmania's wet forests";
   - hazel tree [Austral, NZ], Pomaderris apetala
    
3. The fine-grained wood of a hazelnut tree (genus Corylus) and the hazel tree (Australian genus Pomaderris)
   "The craftsman carved delicate figurines from hazel wood"
    
4. A shade of brown that is yellowish or reddish; it is a greenish shade of brown when used to describe the colour of someone's eyes
   "His eyes were a lovely hazel"

1. Of a light brown or yellowish brown colour
   "Her hazel eyes sparkled in the sunlight"

Derived forms: hazels

See also: chromatic

Type of: brown, brownness, nut tree, tree, wood

Part of: Corylus, genus Corylus, genus Pomaderris, Pomaderris

Encyclopedia: Hazel, SD