Middle English eilen, ailen, "trouble, afflict, harm"
from Old English eglan "to trouble, plague, afflict"
from Proto-Germanic *azljaz, source also of Old English egle "hideous, loathsome, troublesome, painful;"
from PIE *agh-lo-, suffixed form of root *agh- "to be depressed, be afraid"
ail noun
- as a verb - to give physical or emotional pain, discomfort, or trouble to; to have something the matter; especially: to suffer ill health
- as a noun - ailment: unrest, uneasiness
Ailanthus — any tree belonging to the genus Ailanthus, of the quassia family, especially A. altissima, widely grown in cities and commonly known as tree of heaven, varnish tree, copal tree, stinking sumac, Chinese sumac, and paradise tree.
The tree grows rapidly. Its suckering ability allows it to clone itself indefinitely. It is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species, and one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America. The invasiveness of the species has been compounded by its role in the life cycle of the also destructive and invasive spotted lanternfly.
Lore 