Main Entry: bam·boo

Pronunciation: \(ˌ)bam-ˈbü, ˈbam-ˌ\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural bamboos

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Malay bambu

Date: 1586

: any of various woody or arborescent grasses (as of the genera Bambusa, Arundinaria, and Dendrocalamus of the subfamily Bambusoideae) of tropical and temperate regions having hollow stems, thick rhizomes, and shoots that are used for food; also : the jointed stem of bamboo used especially for building, furniture, and utensils

[bamboo illustration]