Osage orange

noun

: an ornamental usually thorny U.S. tree (Maclura pomifera) of the mulberry family with shiny ovate leaves and hard bright orange wood
also : its yellowish-green globose fruit

Examples of Osage orange in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nearby, a bulldozer cleared ground for new homes not far from a Osage orange tree, a stately hardwood where Hurd once crashed his bicycle as a boy. Dianne Solis, Dallas News, 3 May 2023 Pity the poor Osage orange tree. Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Osage orange.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Osage orange was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near Osage orange

Cite this Entry

“Osage orange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Osage%20orange. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Osage orange

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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