dogwood

noun

dog·​wood ˈdȯg-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce dogwood (audio)
: any of various trees and shrubs (genus Cornus of the family Cornaceae, the dogwood family) with clusters of small flowers and often large white, pink, or red involucral bracts

Examples of dogwood in a Sentence

The furniture is made of dogwood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pair a large azalea with a flowering tree such as dogwood, crape myrtle, redbud, or serviceberry. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 July 2025 Ornamental trees are small, flowering trees such as dogwood, Japanese maple and cherry plum. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Many short-growing tree species, such as dogwood, provide lower branches with tree buds that are within reach. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 20 Mar. 2025 Many of these birds will feast on the berries of hollies, dogwoods, spicebush, arrowwood viburnums, and magnolias.3 Was this page helpful? Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dogwood

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dogwood was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dogwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dogwood. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

dogwood

noun
dog·​wood ˈdȯg-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce dogwood (audio)
: any of various trees and shrubs having clusters of small flowers often surrounded by four showy leaves that look like petals

Medical Definition

dogwood

noun
dog·​wood ˈdȯ-ˌgwu̇d How to pronounce dogwood (audio)
: any tree or shrub of the genus Cornus

More from Merriam-Webster on dogwood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!