black locust

noun

: a tall tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) of eastern North America with pinnately compound leaves, drooping racemes of fragrant white flowers, and strong stiff wood

Examples of black locust in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The beds were all constructed of local black locust, prized for its durability. Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2025 That’s back when the DNR tree nursery distributed a lot of autumn olives and black locusts, Martinson said. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025 Staff made more dramatic changes to the bears’ indoor habitat, adding murals of mountainous landscapes, black locust timber climbing structures, new flooring and upgraded air conditioning. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025 The backyard is thick with towering black locust trees. Tik Root, WIRED, 30 Mar. 2024 Both are clad with cedar wood shingles and black locust wood siding, and both are equipped with large outdoor decks that expand the interior space further outside. Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 5 Sep. 2023 The best woods include osage, Oregon yew, white ash, Southern red cedar, black walnut, black locust, apple, and mulberry. Keith McCafferty, Field & Stream, 29 June 2023 Mark McNamara of Conundrum Woodcraft in Gaston has decorative items made from maple, oak, cherry, black walnut, black locust, apple and birch trees sustainably foraged from the Willamette and Columbia river valleys. Jeastman, oregonlive, 9 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black locust was in 1787

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Cite this Entry

“Black locust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20locust. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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