witch hazel
noun
witch ha·zel
ˈwich-ˌhā-zəl 
1
: any of a genus (Hamamelis of the family Hamamelidaceae, the witch-hazel family) of shrubs or small trees with slender-petaled usually yellow flowers borne in late fall or early spring
especially
: one (H. virginiana) of eastern North America that blooms in the fall
2
: an alcoholic solution of a distillate of the bark of a witch hazel (H. virginiana) used as a soothing and mildly astringent lotion
Examples of witch hazel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The stars of the show are exfoliating salicylic acid and anti-bacterial tea tree oil, along with anti-inflammatory witch hazel.
—
Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 6 Aug. 2024
Packed with oil-controlling skin-care ingredients like salicylic acid and witch hazel, this formula minimizes pores and mattifies skin without causing irritation or breakouts.
—Deanna Pai, Allure, 5 Aug. 2024
While some skincare obsessives love the label, some have told us to take care (we’re not done with the Rihanna puns just yet) with Fenty's use of fragrances and astringents like witch hazel, both of which are known to cause irritation.
—Esther Newman, refinery29.com, 18 Jan. 2024
Some postpartum people prefer soaking a large sanitary napkin in witch hazel, freezing it, and then applying it to their underwear to provide comfort.
—Robin Elise Weiss, Phd, Parents, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for witch hazel 
Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 6 Aug. 2024
Packed with oil-controlling skin-care ingredients like salicylic acid and witch hazel, this formula minimizes pores and mattifies skin without causing irritation or breakouts.
—Deanna Pai, Allure, 5 Aug. 2024
While some skincare obsessives love the label, some have told us to take care (we’re not done with the Rihanna puns just yet) with Fenty's use of fragrances and astringents like witch hazel, both of which are known to cause irritation.
—Esther Newman, refinery29.com, 18 Jan. 2024
Some postpartum people prefer soaking a large sanitary napkin in witch hazel, freezing it, and then applying it to their underwear to provide comfort.
—Robin Elise Weiss, Phd, Parents, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for witch hazel
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'witch hazel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near witch hazel
Cite this Entry
“Witch hazel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witch%20hazel. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
witch hazel
noun
witch ha·zel
ˈwich-ˌhā-zəl
1
: any of a genus of shrubs or small trees that produce usually yellow flowers with very thin petals in late fall or early spring
especially
: one of eastern North America that blooms in the fall
2
: a soothing alcoholic lotion made from the bark of the witch hazel
Etymology
from witch, an old name for any of several trees with branches that bend easily, from Old English wice (same meaning)
Medical Definition
witch hazel
noun
witch ha·zel
ˈwich-ˌhā-zəl
1
: any small tree or shrub of the genus Hamamelis
especially
: one (Hamamelis virginiana) of eastern North America that blooms in the fall
2
: an alcoholic solution of a distillate of the bark of a witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) used as a soothing and mildly astringent lotion
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