cedar

noun

ce·​dar ˈsē-dər 

1

a

: any of a genus (Cedrus) of usually tall coniferous trees (such as the cedar of Lebanon or the deodar) of the pine family noted for their fragrant durable wood

b

: any of numerous coniferous trees (as of the genera Juniperus, Chamaecyparis, or Thuja of the cypress family) that resemble the true cedars especially in the fragrance and durability of their wood

2

: the wood of a cedar

cedary

ˈsē-dər-ē 

-də-rē

adjective

Did you know?

A tall ornamental and timber evergreen coniferous tree, cedar is one of the pine family. There are four species of "true" cedars — the Atlas cedar, the Cyprus cedar, the deodar, and the cedar of Lebanon. Cedarwood is light, soft, resinous, and durable, even when in contact with soil or moisture. Many other conifers called cedars resemble true cedars in that they are evergreen and have aromatic, often red or red-tinged wood that, in many cases, is decay-resistant and insect-repellent. The giant arborvitae, incense cedar, and some junipers (red cedar) provide the familiar "cedarwood" of pencils, chests, closet linings, and fence posts.

Examples of cedar in a Sentence

a chair made of cedar

Recent Examples on the Web

Willy’s older brother, Ben (Jonathan Cake, plummy-voiced and elegant, a cedar to Lane’s stunted apple tree), breezes in and out, always on the way to or from some impressive capital venture. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026

Wraparound porches and cedar soaking tubs give you a reason to stay outside a bit longer, while inside, things lean minimal with a few unexpected details. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2026

It can be made with the cedar box, a diaphragm, or your own vocal cords. —Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026

Most metal, teak, cedar, and all-weather wicker pieces can stand up to whatever nature throws their way. —Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cedre, cedir, borrowed from Anglo-French cedre, borrowed from Latin cedrus "cedar, juniper," borrowed from Greek kédros, of obscure origin

Note: The word is also attested in Old English as ceder, in translations of the Psalms and in glosses, though there is no continuity with Middle English use. The Greek word is undoubtedly related to Latin citrus "the conifer Tetraclinis articulata," though the nature of the relationship is uncertain (see also citrus). The Latin word could have been borrowed from Greek, with -dr- nativized to -tr-, but the vowel change is unexplained. Alternatively, both words could have been borrowed from an unknown language of the Mediterranean. Greek kédros, as well as the Latin loan cedrus, apparently referred both to Cedrus libani, an import to Greece and Rome from the mountains of Lebanon and some areas of Anatolia, and, confusingly, to some species of Juniperus native to Greece. Though the plants are quite distinct, they both produced much-prized aromatic wood. (This issue is discussed at length in Russell Meiggs, Trees and Timber in the Ancient Mediterranean World [Oxford, 1982], pp. 410-16.) As noted above, Latin citrus, on the other hand, denoted a completely different tree, Tetraclinis articulata, that was native to mountains of North Africa; the Greek name for this tree was apparently thýon or thýa (see thuja), though if this identification is correct, the occurrence of the word in the Odyssey (5.60) is surprising (see Meiggs, op. cit., p. 114, 287). Greek kédros has been compared to Latvian cedriņš "heath (Erica sp.)" and Lithuanian kadagỹs "juniper," though these are distant in either sense or form.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cedar

• Atlantic white cedar
• cedar-apple rust
• cedar of Lebanon
• cedar waxwing
• incense cedar
• Japanese cedar
• northern white cedar
• red cedar
• salt cedar
• western red cedar
• white cedar

Rhymes for cedar

• bleeder
• breeder
• feeder
• leader
• lieder
• meader
• pleader
• reader
• reeder
• seeder
• weeder
• cheerleader

Kids Definition

cedar

noun

ce·​dar ˈsēd-ər 

1

a

: any of a genus of usually tall trees related to the pines and noted for their fragrant durable wood

b

: any of numerous cone-bearing trees (as some junipers) resembling the true cedars especially in having fragrant long-lasting wood

2

: the wood of a cedar

Geographical Definition

Cedar

geographical name

Ce·​dar ˈsē-dər 

river 329 miles (529 kilometers) long in southeastern Minnesota and eastern Iowa flowing southeast into the Iowa River