1. [n]  any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Corylus bearing edible nuts enclosed in a leafy husk
2. [n]  the fine-grained wood of a hazelnut tree (genus Corylus) and the hazel tree (Australian genus Pomaderris)
3. [n]  Australian tree grown especially for ornament and its fine-grained wood and bearing edible nuts
4. [adj]  of a light brown or yellowish brown color

1. \Ha"zel\, n. [OE. hasel, AS. h[ae]sel; akin to D.
   hazelaar, G. hazel, OHG. hasal, hasala, Icel. hasl, Dan & Sw.
   hassel, L. corylus, for cosylus.]
   1. (Bot.) A shrub or small tree of the genus {Corylus}, as
      the {C. avellana}, bearing a nut containing a kernel of a
      mild, farinaceous taste; the filbert. The American species
      are {C. Americana}, which produces the common hazelnut,
      and {C. rostrata}. See {Filbert}. --Gray.
   2. A miner's name for freestone. --Raymond.
   {Hazel earth}, soil suitable for the hazel; a fertile loam.
   {Hazel grouse} (Zo["o]l.), a European grouse ({Bonasa
      betulina}), allied to the American ruffed grouse.
   {Hazel hoe}, a kind of grub hoe.
   {Witch hazel}. See {Witch-hazel}, and {Hamamelis}.
   

2. \Ha"zel\, a.
   1. Consisting of hazels, or of the wood of the hazel;
      pertaining to, or derived from, the hazel; as, a hazel
      wand.
            I sit me down beside the hazel grove. --Keble.
   2. Of a light brown color, like the hazelnut. ``Thou hast
      hazel eyes.'' --Shak.
   

Heb. luz, (Gen. 30:37), a nutbearing tree. The Hebrew word is rendered in the Vulgate by amygdalinus, "the almond-tree," which is probably correct. That tree flourishes in Syria.