teak

noun \ ˈtēk \

Definition of teak

1 :a tall tropical Asian timber tree (Tectona grandis) of the vervain family

2 :the hard yellowish-brown wood of teak used especially for furniture and shipbuilding

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Recent Examples of teak from the Web

South Sudan is rich in mahogany and teak, both of which are in high demand especially in Arab nations, Bartel says.

— sam mednick, The Seattle Times, "War-torn South Sudan at grave risk on climate change," 18 July 2017
South Sudan is rich in mahogany and teak, both of which are in high demand especially in Arab nations, Bartel says.

— Washington Post, "War-torn South Sudan at grave risk on climate change," 18 July 2017
In May of 2013, Emin had opened his own club directly above Nobu, called Rose Bar and made to look like the interior of a megayacht, with faux portholes and teak-like detailing.

— michael idov, Billboard, "Partying With Trump Associate Emin Agalarov: Inside the Surreal World of Moscow's Moneyed Music Scene," 17 July 2017
The typescript words appear as negative space against a background of teak, a wood introduced to Vietnam by the French at the turn of the last century.

— lori waxman, chicagotribune.com, "This is what intersectional feminist art looks like," 21 June 2017
Inside, a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat allows skis or fancy teak planks to share space with two passengers.

— davey g. johnson, Car and Driver, "2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake: A Slinky Wagon Headed for the States," 16 June 2017
Chinese carved teak furniture perched on Persian rugs, colorful Japanese lanterns dangled from the ceiling, cloisonne objects filled the mantel, and the rooms boasted other artifacts from Asia and the Middle East.

— the oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Composer Lou Harrison's legacy will be celebrated with concerts in his native Portland," 10 June 2017
His grandfather William Thompson kept a bespoke 42-foot cruiser of teak and mahogany named Sea Boarder docked outside his home on Little Balboa Island, and young Kroeger visited often.

— hillary davis, Daily Pilot, "Old yacht reunited with its former family returns to Newport's Wooden Boat Festival," 8 June 2017
Today, the Strand has just undergone a six-month renovation that preserved its structure and relics, including rare Myanmar marble, teak wood floors, Burmese antiques and chandeliers.

— kate springer, CNN, "How Yangon's heritage hotels became guardians of its colonial architecture," 4 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'teak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of teak

Portuguese teca, from Malayalam tēkka

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First Known Use: 1698

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TEAK Defined for English Language Learners

teak

noun

Definition of teak for English Language Learners

: the strong, hard, yellowish-brown wood of a tree that grows in southeast Asia and that is used especially for making furniture and ships

TEAK Defined for Kids

teak

noun \ ˈtēk \

Definition of teak for Students

:the hard yellowish-brown wood of a tall Asian tree that resists decay

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See words that rhyme with teak Spanish Central: Translation of teak Nglish: Translation of teak for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about teak

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