witch hazel family: Meaning and Definition of

witch' ha"zel fam"ily

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the plant family Hamamelidaceae, characterized by trees and shrubs having alternate, simple leaves, flowers in clusters or heads, and fruit in the form of a double-beaked woody capsule, and including the sweet gum, witch alder, and witch hazel.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.