tree

noun

\ ˈtrē

Definition of tree

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : a woody perennial plant having a single usually elongate main stem generally with few or no branches on its lower part

b : a shrub or herb of arborescent form rose trees a banana tree

2 : something in the form of or resembling a tree: such as

a : a diagram or graph that branches usually from a simple stem or vertex without forming loops or polygons a genealogical tree phylogenetic trees

b : a much-branched system of channels especially in an animal body the vascular tree

3a(1) : a piece of wood (such as a post or pole) usually adapted to a particular use or forming part of a structure or implement

(2) archaic : the cross on which Jesus was crucified

b archaic : gallows

4 : saddletree

tree

verb

treed; treeing

Definition of tree (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to drive to or up a tree treed by a bull dogs treeing game

b : to put into a position of extreme disadvantage : corner especially : to bring to bay

2 : to furnish or fit (a shoe) with a tree

Tree

biographical name

\ ˈtrē

Definition of Tree (Entry 3 of 3)

Sir Herbert (Draper) Beerbohm 1853–1917 English actor-manager

Other Words from tree More Example Sentences Learn More about tree

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Examples of tree in a Sentence

Noun

He chopped down the tree.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Unlike Christmas tree farms, palm tree farms do not cut down the tree. — Marie Milano, Country Living, "When Is Palm Sunday, and Why Does the Date Always Change?," 8 Mar. 2019 The Ceremony The ceremony took place in the villa's fairytale-worthy garden, with a fountain and perfectly manicured trees as a backdrop. — Brooke Porter Katz, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Couple Took Over a Small Town in Italy for Their Medieval-Inspired Wedding," 28 Feb. 2019 Less than an hour outside of Kigali, the dusty, red field cuts across the otherwise green hill, which is covered in banana trees. — Caterina Clerici & Eléonore Hamelin, Marie Claire, "Rwanda's Future Is Female," 1 Feb. 2019 Persistent drought, heat, and bark beetle infestations have combined to kill off 129 million trees across California. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "What we learned from the disasters that hammered the US in 2018," 27 Dec. 2018 In other words, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. — Rachel Hahn, Vogue, "Spike Lee’s Daughter Satchel Is Poised to Put a Stylish Twist on Her Father’s Legacy," 27 Feb. 2019 Moskowitz chronicles its destruction, from tree to toilet paper. — Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times, "David Moskowitz captures the beauty — and fragility — of the Northwest’s mountain caribou," 11 Feb. 2019 Foster took care to preserve a majestic 80-year-old, 65-foot-tall banyan tree outside the museum. — Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, "Palm Beach's Norton Museum of Art Gets a Major New Expansion From Foster + Partners," 5 Feb. 2019 Other amenities of the 2,092 house include a commanding brick fireplace in the living room, a large back deck, and a .5-acre lot filled with greenery and large trees. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "A-frame midcentury home with gorgeous atrium asks $700K," 14 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officers used a Karelian bear dog to track and tree the bear, Travis said. — Evan Bush, The Seattle Times, "Officials capture wandering bear in Mukilteo," 10 June 2018 Aimee Weiss, of Highland Park, said her doctor wrote a prescription for multiple packages of EpiPens for her 12-year-old daughter, who’s allergic to tree nuts. — Lisa Schencker, chicagotribune.com, "EpiPen shortage hits Illinois," 9 May 2018 Milwaukee mom Karen Kovochich, whose son is allergic to tree nuts, agrees. — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Allergy parents sound off on the approach 'Peter Rabbit' takes on food allergies," 13 Feb. 2018 The cones are collected, bagged, tagged, stored, and then driven more than 2,000 miles in a refrigerated truck from Georgia—situated between Turkey, Russia, and Iran—to tree nurseries across Europe. — John Wendle, National Geographic, "Gravity-Defying Villagers Risk Their Lives for Christmas Trees," 21 Dec. 2017 Since 2009, when a cougar was treed in western Wisconsin, the DNR has attempted to collect hair, blood, stool or other samples from the animals for genetic analyses. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Watchers on lookout for female cougars in Wisconsin," 1 Nov. 2017 Thanks to Treepedia, an online map launched by the MIT Senseable City Lab, inhabitants of 20 urban centers can compare the distribution of their city’s greenery to tree coverage in other places across the globe. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "MIT’s ‘Treepedia’ Shows How Green Your City Grows," 25 Apr. 2017 National research also shows healthy trees can add between 7 and 11 percent to the value of a property, and homes with treed lots sell faster than those without trees. — Detroit Free Press, "Appeal of urban ‘tree canopies’ growing across Michigan," 11 Sep. 2017 After all, as they’ve been warned by their doctors, skin and blood test results reveal that those with peanut allergies are also often allergic to tree nuts. — Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian, "Tree Nut Allergies May Be Massively Overdiagnosed," 18 Apr. 2017

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