: any of a genus (Alnus) of toothed-leaved trees or shrubs of the birch family that have catkins which become woody, that typically grow in cool moist ground, and that have wood used especially in turnery
also
: its wood
Examples of alder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Right then, with both canoes in plain sight, a moose showed up at the edge of the alders across the lake.
—
Fred Bear, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2026
Inside, indirect light bathes the alder-wood paneling in warmth and tranquility.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026
That didn’t happen, and the alders felt compelled on Monday to air their grievances with the fifth floor in public.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
Many alders had questions for Beach's office, which took over control of the county's electronic monitoring program last year.
—Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for alder
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Fred Bear, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2026
Inside, indirect light bathes the alder-wood paneling in warmth and tranquility.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026
That didn’t happen, and the alders felt compelled on Monday to air their grievances with the fifth floor in public.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
Many alders had questions for Beach's office, which took over control of the county's electronic monitoring program last year.
—Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for alder
Cite this Entry
“Alder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alder. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
alder
noun
al·der
ˈȯl-dər 
: any of a genus of toothed-leaved trees or shrubs related to the birches
Biographical Definition
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