Definition of bamboo
bamboos
: 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
From the M-W Editors
Examples of bamboo in a Sentence
Bamboo grows in the grove near the house.
We cut down some bamboos.
Recent Examples of bamboo from the Web
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There are clump forming bamboos, which are not likely to spread and can be planted to give the homeowner a fun and exotic look.
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Bamboo, lush bushes, palm trees, orchids, tropical flowers (even in your drinks).
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Okay, this is a bit of a cheat, as bamboo is technically a hard grass, not wood.
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Ms. Kozen warned that viscose rayon is often wrongly marketed as environmentally friendly because it is derived from bamboo.
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Sunlight filtered down from above, dappling bamboo and rain trees, illuminating tropical birds and casting pocket-mirror flashes on mossy koi ponds.
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Cool history aside, bamboo is a great construction material.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bamboo'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of bamboo
Origin and Etymology of bamboo
Malay bambu
First Known Use: 1586
BAMBOO Defined for English Language Learners
bamboo
playDefinition of bamboo for English Language Learners
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: a tall plant with hard hollow stems that are used for building and to make furniture, tools, etc.
BAMBOO Defined for Kids
bamboo
playDefinition of bamboo for Students
: a tall treelike tropical grass with a hard hollow jointed stem that is used in making furniture and in building
Learn More about bamboo
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See words that rhyme with bamboo Spanish Central: Translation of bamboo Nglish: Translation of bamboo for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bamboo
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