redwood

noun

red·​wood ˈred-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce redwood (audio)
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
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Even the newbiest among us donned harnesses and quite literally danced in the redwood trees, swinging and moving through the forest canopy under the guidance of artistic director Kara Starkweather. Kim Westerman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 In the main salon, terra firma appears in dining chairs upholstered in real palm leaf and a two-piece oak coffee table, as large as a redwood’s base, inlaid with green and copper marble. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2025 Visitors can hike scenic trails and picnic at the nearby Jenner Headlands Preserve, explore the Russian River Estuary, golf among the redwoods, or kayak to Penny Island for walks to Goat Rock Beach. Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 28 Aug. 2025 In 1927, the superintendent of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in England found a witch’s broom growth — a kind of growth generally stimulated by a pathogen — growing at the base of a redwood tree. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for redwood

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of redwood was circa 1533

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Cite this Entry

“Redwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redwood. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

redwood

noun
red·​wood ˈred-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce redwood (audio)
: 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

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