ponderosa pine

noun

pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˈrō-sə- How to pronounce ponderosa pine (audio)
-zə-
: a tall pine (Pinus ponderosa) of western North America with long needles usually in groups of two or three
also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood

Examples of ponderosa pine in a Sentence

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.
After your subterranean romp, spend the night at Under Canvas’s Mount Rushmore outpost (50 minutes away), on the site of an original gold-mining settlement set among ponderosa pines. Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025 Flagstaff boasts Arizona's highest mountain peak, a national forest abundant in ponderosa pines, a stretch of historic Route 66 and the observatory where Pluto was discovered. Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 15 Sep. 2025 Constructed with beams made from ponderosa pine and grounded by a heavy limestone facade, the lodge is actually a reconstruction. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025 The lodge, first opened in 1937, was listed as a National Historic Landmark and featured unique ponderosa pine construction and a limestone facade that reflected its natural surroundings. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for ponderosa pine

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ponderosa, specific epithet of Pinus ponderosa, from Latin, feminine of ponderosus ponderous

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ponderosa pine was in 1878

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Cite this Entry

“Ponderosa pine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ponderosa%20pine. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ponderosa pine

noun
pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˌrō- sə- How to pronounce ponderosa pine (audio)
-zə-
: a tall timber pine of western North America with long needles in groups of 2 or 3
also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood

More from Merriam-Webster on ponderosa pine

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