driftwood

noun

drift·​wood ˈdrift-ˌwu̇d 

1

: wood drifted or floated by water

2

: flotsam sense 2

Examples of driftwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, at dusk later that night, the two sisters both saw a dark upright figure on the beach at Whitefish Lighthouse near a large pile of driftwood by the shore. —Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026

Stilted above the sea oats with wraparound porches and shingles made from driftwood and other scraps, the historic oceanfront cottages in Nags Head are a sight to behold. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 9 May 2026

On display in the museum lobby is a collection of black-and-white family photographs of Naoshima locals, taken with cameras handmade partly from driftwood found on the beach. —Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 May 2026

Recent floods had heaved mountains of driftwood and debris onto the shorelines. —Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for driftwood

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

Kids Definition

driftwood

noun

drift·​wood ˈdrift-ˌwu̇d 

: wood drifted or floated by water