1
: any of various willows (especially Salix viminalis) whose pliable twigs are used for furniture and basketry
2
: a willow rod used in basketry
3
: any of several American dogwoods
especially
: red osier
Examples of osier in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Red osier dogwood is a native blooming shrub that is found along stream beds.
—
oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2021
Colorful bark is a main feature of red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea subsp.
—Beth Botts, chicagotribune.com, 28 Feb. 2021
Such non-native woody plants as autumn olive and honeysuckle were sprayed, while natives such as red osier and gray dogwood were spared.
—James F. McCarty, cleveland.com, 16 May 2017
oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2021
Colorful bark is a main feature of red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea subsp.
—Beth Botts, chicagotribune.com, 28 Feb. 2021
Such non-native woody plants as autumn olive and honeysuckle were sprayed, while natives such as red osier and gray dogwood were spared.
—James F. McCarty, cleveland.com, 16 May 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'osier.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin auseria osier bed
First Known Use
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of osier was
in the 12th century
Phrases Containing osier
Dictionary Entries Near osier
Cite this Entry
“Osier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osier. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
osier
noun1
: any of various willows with easily bent twigs used for making furniture and baskets
2
: a willow rod used for making baskets
3
: any of several American dogwoods
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