yew

noun

ˈyü 

1

a

: any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen gymnospermous trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril: such as

(1)

: a long-lived Eurasian tree or shrub (T. baccata)

called also English yew

(2)

: a low straggling bush (T. canadensis) of the eastern U.S. and Canada

(3)

: pacific yew

b

: the wood of a yew

especially : the heavy fine-grained wood of the English yew

2

archaic : an archery bow made of yew

Illustration of yew

• yew 1a

Examples of yew in a Sentence

a bow made of yew

Recent Examples on the Web

Avoid giving your hermit crab wood from apple, mango, hemlock or yew trees, though, as these can have toxic bark. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 June 2026

Chemicals in the yew disrupt function of the heart, leading to death by cardiac arrest. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026

Be careful planting yew shrubs around children7 and animals8 because most parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026

The trunk of the yew will be left in place and turned into a bench sculpted by a local artist, while the wood will be cured and used in the future to create champion yew products. — Siafa Lewis, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ew, from Old English īw; akin to Old High German īwa yew, Middle Irish eó

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing yew

• English yew
• Pacific yew

Rhymes for yew

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

yew

noun

ˈyü 

1

: any of a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs that are gymnosperms with short stiff flattened needlelike leaves and seeds having a red juicy covering

2

: the wood of a yew

especially : the heavy fine-grained wood of an Old World yew that is used especially for bows and small articles

Medical Definition

yew

noun

ˈyü 

: any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril

especially : one (T. brevifolia) of the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada whose bark yields the antineoplastic drug paclitaxel