oak

noun, often attributive

\ ˈōk

plural oaks or oak

Definition of oak

1a : any of a genus (Quercus) of trees or shrubs of the beech family that produce acorns also : any of various plants related to or resembling the oaks

b : the tough hard durable wood of an oak tree

2 : the leaves of an oak used as decoration

Other Words from oak Example Sentences Learn More about oak

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Examples of oak in a Sentence

Tall oaks line the street. The table is solid oak. The cabinets are made of oak.

Recent Examples on the Web

Prairie Artisan Ales cellarman Chance McCall tipping, or emptying, Okie Imperial Brown Ale from oak barrels into stainless steel tanks to cool before bottling. — Ruth Simon, WSJ, "Where Did All the Craft Beer Go? Government Shutdown Closes Tap on New Brews," 11 Jan. 2019 The warehouses are stacked high with American oak barrels as the whiskeys age and take on flavor. — Catherine M. Allchin, The Seattle Times, "A spirited partnership with Woodinville Whiskey Co. saved the day (and then some) at a struggling family farm," 23 Oct. 2018 All Scotch whisky has to be distilled in Scotland and aged there in oak barrels for at least three years. — Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, "How to Drink Whiskey: A Complete Guide," 1 Oct. 2018 For instance, bourbon actually enters the barrel as a clear liquid, and takes its distinctive hue from the inside of the oak barrels it is stored within. — Todd Piro, Fox News, "The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a treat for the eyes, nose, and most importantly, the taste buds," 6 Sep. 2018 The design is sort of hybrid of zen retreat and dreamy luxury, immersing shoppers in a world of greenery and natural oak floors, paired with formal angular windows framed by inclined, folding plaster. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Bottega Veneta Just Opened Their Futuristic Six-Story Tokyo Flagship," 8 Dec. 2018 There’s a stone courtyard, blush curtains, oak floors, and walls painted in Farrow and Ball’s Pink Ground No. 202. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "From Goop Lab to One Kings Lane: 8 New Design Destinations to Know," 7 Nov. 2018 His Finca Altozano now encompasses the original outdoor grill restaurant, a tortas truck, an ice-cream shop, and the pop-up dinner series Animalón under a 100-year-old oak tree. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Next Great Food Scene, Beach Town, and More: The 2019 Trends We're Calling Now," 18 Dec. 2018 Floor-to-ceiling glass walls maximize views of the surrounding gnarled oak trees and a distant San Francisco Bay. — Candace Taylor, WSJ, "A Silicon Valley Retreat Where ‘Star Trek’ Meets ‘Star Wars’," 6 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for oak

Middle English ook, oke, going back to Old English āc, going back to Germanic *eik- (whence also Old Frisian ēk "oak," Old Saxon ēc, Old High German eih, eihha, Old Norse eik), of obscure origin

Note: Old English āc is a feminine root noun (dative singular and nominative plural ǣc), though forms leveled to other declensions with umlaut are already evident. Germanic *eik- has been compared with the Greek words aigílōps, a name in Theophrastus for a species of oak (Quercus macrolepis?), and krátaigos, a species of hawthorn (also in Theophrastus), but interpretation of the conjoined elements of these words is conjectural (lṓpē is not actually attested in the sense "cork" or "bark"). The derivation of Latin aesculus "a species of oak (Quercus petraea?)" is obscure. The Lithuanian dialect forms áižuols and áužuolas "oak," superficially comparable, are hypercorrections of ą́žuolas, which is very unlikely to be related to *eik- (cf. Old Prussian ansonis = German eche in the Elbing Vocabulary).