redwood

noun

red·​wood ˈred-ˌwu̇d 

1

: any of various woods (such as brazilwood) yielding a red dye

2

: a tree that yields a red dyewood or produces red or reddish wood

3

a

: a very tall coniferous tree (Sequoia sempervirens) of the cypress family that grows chiefly in coastal California, sometimes reaches a height of 360 feet (110 meters), and is a commercially important timber tree

called also coast redwood

see cone illustration compare dawn redwood

b

: its brownish-red durable wood

Examples of redwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 160-acre property has long drawn travelers to California’s dramatic Central Coast, which is known for its sweeping Pacific Ocean views and bounty of activities amid secluded beaches or ancient redwood groves. —Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025

At least much of the building material was local, O’Neil says, from the rocks to the redwood. —A.k. Whitney, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025

The Upper Woodland Garden is home to some grand tree specimens, including giant redwoods. —Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

For his efforts, which also included spending more than $7,000 to trim trees and cut down two redwoods and a fir, he was rewarded with a certificate from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety that persuaded his insurer to maintain his coverage. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing redwood

• coast redwood
• dawn redwood

Rhymes for redwood

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

Kids Definition

redwood

noun

red·​wood ˈred-ˌwu̇d 

: a tall cone-producing evergreen tree mostly of coastal California that is related to the bald cypresses and sometimes grows to be 360 feet (110 meters) tall

also : its light long-lasting brownish red wood