timber

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noun tim·ber \ ˈtim-bər \

Definition of timber

1 a :growing trees or their wood

b —used interjectionally to warn of a falling tree

2 :wood suitable for building or for carpentry

3 a :a large squared or dressed piece of wood ready for use or forming part of a structure

b British :lumber 2a

c :a curving frame branching outward from the keel of a ship and bending upward in a vertical direction that is usually composed of several pieces united :rib

4 :material, stuff; especially :a person or type of person qualified for a particular position or status

managerial timber

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timber

adjective

See timber defined for English-language learners

See timber defined for kids

Examples of timber in a Sentence

upon our approach the deer disappeared back into the timber from whence it had come
needed a new load of timber to finish building the house

Recent Examples of timber from the Web

This is pure speculation, because the property is tied up in timber leases for decades and may never be usable habitat.

— mark miller, National Review, "The Feds and the Frog: Private Landowners Stand to Lose on 1,500 Acres," 28 Aug. 2017
Looking for work, the family moved to Orofino, where his father helped him find a job in a timber mill.

— william yardley, New York Times, "Cecil D. Andrus, 85, Carter’s Preservationist Interior Secretary, Dies," 25 Aug. 2017
Republicans have argued that the land should be open to timber harvesting.

— jennifer yachnin, Science | AAAS, "Trump team nears decision on national monuments," 18 Aug. 2017
Timber founders Andrew Dana and Chris Brady had left jobs at an education technology startup to launch the business and never really intended to hire a chef.

— jessica sidman, Bon Appetit, "Two Guys, Daniela Moreira, and a Pizza Truck," 14 Aug. 2017
In 2015, the flooring company Lumber Liquidators admitted to violating the Lacey Act by importing illegally sourced hardwood from Russia—the timber came from forest habitats critical for the few hundred Siberian tigers still living in the wild.

— wendy mitman clarke, Smithsonian, "Scientists Are Using This Collection of Wood Samples to Combat Illegal Logging," 11 Aug. 2017
The home is delightfully British, with a brick and timber façade and a cute garden with honeysuckle, roses, lavender, and irises.

— melissa minton, Teen Vogue, "This House Featured in Harry Potter's Godric's Hollow Is on the Market," 9 Aug. 2017
Her brown eyes were wide, taking in the wilderness, the green slopes of timber, granite cliffs, white rapids and the grass runway in front of them.

— idahostatesman, "Terrorists in Idaho? Boise writer imagines this scenario in new book.," 28 July 2017
The play space will use materials such as timber, mud, sand, sticks, and grass, with play opportunities that will build physical and social skills among young children.

— kelly mcbride, Cincinnati.com, "Summit Park playscape moves forward," 14 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of timber

Middle English, from Old English, building, wood; akin to Old High German zimbar wood, room, Greek demein to build, domos course of stones or bricks

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

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