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

Instead, redwoods should only be planted on larger properties. —Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026

The fact that this Santa Cruz County town can list so many other enticing reasons to visit – from the beaches and redwoods to the restaurants and shops – certainly doesn’t hurt matters. —Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026

The breeding pair, both six years and 10 months old, constructed the area's first nest in a century high within a hollow of an old-growth redwood in the Redwood Creek drainage. —Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026

It’s tucked in an old-growth redwood tree in the backcountry of the park, in Humboldt County, where there are no roads and a creek presents an impassable barrier, Williams-Claussen said. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026

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