willow
Americannoun
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any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, characterized by narrow, lance-shaped leaves and dense catkins bearing small flowers, many species having tough, pliable twigs or branches used for wickerwork, etc.
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the wood of any of these trees.
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Informal. something, especially a cricket bat, made of willow wood.
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Also called willower, willy. a machine consisting essentially of a cylinder armed with spikes revolving within a spiked casing, for opening and cleaning cotton or other fiber.
verb (used with object)
noun
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any of numerous salicaceous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix, such as the weeping willow and osiers of N temperate regions, which have graceful flexible branches, flowers in catkins, and feathery seeds
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the whitish wood of certain of these trees
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something made of willow wood, such as a cricket or baseball bat
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a machine having a system of revolving spikes for opening and cleaning raw textile fibres
noun
Other Word Forms
- willowish adjective
- willowlike adjective
Etymology
Origin of willow
First recorded before 900; Middle English wilwe, variant of wilghe, Old English welig; cognate with Old Saxon wilgia, Dutch wilg, Low German wilge
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He previously lived for years in San Diego County, where he ran along waterways teeming with birds among reeds, willows and sycamores.
From Los Angeles Times
In Summerland, spirits had bodies and clothes, lived in cottages or palaces, sat on sofas or under willow trees, sang and held tea parties, ate “spiritual food” for breakfast.
From Literature
The original study reported a 1,500% surge in willow crown volume after wolves returned.
From Science Daily
The high, frantic chorus of the spring peepers almost covered the sound of the wind as it moved through the newly opened willow leaves.
From Literature
Changes are to be made to the Laws of Cricket to permit bats previously deemed illegal in an effort to make the game affordable for amateur players amid the rising cost of English willow.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
