<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>any of several evergreen, coniferous trees and shrubs of the genera <em>Taxus</em> and <em>Torreya</em>, constituting the family Taxaceae, of the Old World, North America, and Japan, having needlelike or scalelike foliage and seeds enclosed in a fleshy aril.</li><li>the fine-grained, elastic wood of any of these trees.</li><li>an archer's bow made of this wood.</li><li>this tree or its branches as a symbol of sorrow, death, or resurrection.</li></ul>