She·a tree Bot. An African sapotaceous tree (Bassia Parkii syn. Butyrospermum Parkii), from the seeds of which a substance resembling butter is obtained; the African butter tree.

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 But·ter n.
 1. An oily, unctuous substance obtained from cream or milk by churning.
 2. Any substance resembling butter in degree of consistence, or other qualities, especially, in old chemistry, the chlorides, as butter of antimony, sesquichloride of antimony; also, certain concrete fat oils remaining nearly solid at ordinary temperatures, as butter of cacao, vegetable butter, shea butter.
 Butter boat, a small vessel for holding melted butter at table.
 Butter flower, the buttercup, a yellow flower.
 Butter print, a piece of carved wood used to mark pats of butter; -- called also butter stamp. --Locke.
 Butter tooth, either of the two middle incisors of the upper jaw.
 Butter tree Bot., a tree of the genus Bassia, the seeds of which yield a substance closely resembling butter. The butter tree of India is the Bassia butyracea; that of Africa is the Shea tree (Bassia Parkii). See Shea tree.
 Butter trier, a tool used in sampling butter.
 Butter wife, a woman who makes or sells butter; -- called also butter woman. [Obs. or Archaic]