greasewood

noun

grease·​wood ˈgrēs-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce greasewood (audio)
: a low stiff shrub (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) of the goosefoot family common in alkaline soils in the western U.S.
also : any of various related or similar shrubs

Examples of greasewood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Those who live in Loving County full-time — the U.S. mainland’s smallest population, with no more than 169 people stretched across 669 square miles of sand, mesquite and greasewood — credit their relative antiviral success to the landscape and the sparseness of the population. J. David Goodman, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2020 The Odessa operations would sprawl over 1,600 acres on a site known as Shoe Bar Ranch, which was historically a cow-calf operation covered with native pasture, mesquite and greasewood. Nicholas Kusnetz, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Aug. 2022 And while its importance began to fade 150 years ago, out here on the barren mesquite and greasewood flats, Horse Head Crossing has never been forgotten. John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Nov. 2020 Snow topped Kings Crown Peak and hid in the shade of greasewood bushes and Emery oaks. Debra Utacia Krol, azcentral, 15 Jan. 2020 The valley, covered in sagebrush and greasewood, is part of Modoc County, one of California’s poorest, with a median income of about $30,000. Washington Post, 6 June 2018 It is believed to have formed naturally, with white sage growing in soil consisting of light gray granite and white quartz that contrasts with the surrounding chaparral and greasewood. Mike McPhate, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'greasewood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greasewood was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near greasewood

Cite this Entry

“Greasewood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greasewood. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

greasewood

noun
grease·​wood ˈgrē-ˌswu̇d How to pronounce greasewood (audio)
: a low stiff shrub of the western U.S. that is related to the goosefoots and is common in soils with a high salt content

More from Merriam-Webster on greasewood

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!