Etymology: American Spanish, from Spanish, holm oak, modification of Late Latin ilicina, feminine of ilicinus of holm oak, from Latin ilic-, ilex holm oak + -inus -ine — more at ilex
1. : coast live oak
2. : live oak a
* * *
—encinal, adj.
/en see"neuh/, n.
1. the live oak, Quercus virginiana.
2. See California live oak.
[1905-10, Amer.; < AmerSp, Sp: holm oak, by syncope, shortening, and assimilation < LL ilicina holm oak, orig. fem. of ilicinus pertaining to holm oak, equiv. to L ilic- (s. of ilex) ILEX + -inus -INE1]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.