tan oak

noun

: a U.S. Pacific coast evergreen tree (Lithocarpus densiflora) of the beech family that has erect staminate catkins and furrowed brown bark rich in tannins

Examples of tan oak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The forest’s Douglas fir and tan oak didn’t fare as well. Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Aug. 2021 Two common trees at the park, Douglas fir and tan oak, don’t survive fire well and are likely dead, according to the Sempervirens Fund. Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2020 Its night and day hawk-life, slope-life, fogs, coyote, tan oaks, white-speckled amanita. Jane Hirshfield, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2020 Researchers estimate that 50 million tan oak trees have died from the disease. Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, 7 Nov. 2019 Garbelotto said tan oaks — once abundant in southwestern Oregon and California from sea level to 5,000 feet — are the trees that are being obliterated. Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, 7 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tan oak.' 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

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tan oak was circa 1925

Dictionary Entries Near tan oak

Cite this Entry

“Tan oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tan%20oak. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

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