dogwood

noun

dog·​wood ˈdȯg-ˌwu̇d 

: 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

The list includes Japanese maples, dogwoods, aucubas, mahonias, hostas, ferns, hellebores, summer phlox, ajuga, colocasias, oxalis, cast iron plants (aspidistras), cleyeras, and ‘Texas Gold’ columbines, among many others. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2025

The surrounding idyllic landscape is graced with mature magnolias, weeping beech, dogwood and other plantings. —R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025

One by one, all those dogwoods died, victims of drought, disease and heat. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025

The house is surrounded by towering, centuries-old magnolia trees, dogwoods, pecan trees, and Southern live oaks, and has a pretty shaded garden. —Amy Bentley, Oc Register, 7 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dogwood

• flowering dogwood

Rhymes for dogwood

• allgood
• basswood
• beechwood
• bellwood
• birchwood
• boxwood
• boyhood
• brushwood
• childhood
• cordwood
• driftwood
• falsehood

Kids Definition

dogwood

noun

dog·​wood ˈdȯg-ˌwu̇d 

: 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 

: any tree or shrub of the genus Cornus