aloe
n. C / Un. a plant with thick, juicy leaves that contains a clear gel. People often use the gel to soothe skin that is burnt or dry.
n. a succulent plant of a genus native to Africa, characterized by fleshy leaves with spiny margins. Often refers to the medicinal gel extracted from the leaves of the species Aloe vera.
I put some aloe on my sunburn to stop the stinging.
The gardener planted several varieties of aloe in the rock garden because they require very little water.
While many species of aloe are purely ornamental, the pharmaceutical industry processes vast quantities of the plant to produce topical treatments for minor dermatological irritations.
From Old English alwe (“fragrant resin of an East Indian tree”), from Latin aloē, from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓λόη (ălóē), from Hebrew אָהָל (ʾāhāl) or related Aramaic forms, ultimately from Tamil அகில் (akil); reinforced in Middle English by Old French aloes.
Uncountable when referring to the gel or substance; countable when referring to the botanical species or individual plants.