Arboreus

Arboreus is a Latin-derived term used in biological nomenclature. In taxonomic practice, arboreus is not a genus by itself but a descriptive epithet meaning tree-like or resembling a tree, applied to the species level within many genera. The form derives from Latin arbor, arboris, meaning tree, with the suffix -eus indicating likeness or relation.

In botanical and zoological names, arboreus typically indicates that the organism has a woody habit, forms a canopy-like structure, or possesses tree-like morphological traits. As an adjective, arboreus must agree in gender with the genus name in Latin; for example, a hypothetical genus feminine would take arborea, while masculine arboreus or neuter arboreum could appear in different contexts.

There is no widely recognized genus named Arboreus in major taxonomic databases; rather, arboreus is encountered as a descriptive component within many valid species names across multiple groups. The term has also been used in fiction and taxonomic literature to emphasize a tree-associated characteristic.

See also arboreal, arbor-, taxonomic epithet usage.