A genus of deciduous trees known as hornbeams, with hardwood and catkin-like flowers, found across the Northern Hemisphere.
From Latin 'carpinus', the classical name for hornbeam wood. The origin may relate to Old Germanic roots related to material or craft.
Hornbeam wood is so hard that it was traditionally used for tool handles and in machinery—the 'carpinus' genus literally means 'workman's wood' because it was essential for craftspeople.
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