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Humans have been making objects out of wood since before there even was an English language, but the adjectival use of "wood" didn't come into being until the 14th century, and "wooden" didn't appear until the 16th. (The word wood has ancient roots, but it originally existed only as a noun.) In Middle English, the adjective of choice was "tree" or "treen," as in a "tree vessel" or "treen shoes." "Treen" in turn came from the Old English word trēowen, from the noun "trēow" ("tree") and the suffix -en, which was used to indicate that something was composed of a certain material. As far as we know, no one ever used "treen" figuratively to describe things that are stiff as a board, but "wooden" was put to broader use soon after it was first recorded.
Examples of wooden in a Sentence
Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
With vintage terrazzo flooring, coffered ceilings, built in clean-line wooden wardrobes, and minimalist decor, this spot is a midcentury Italian dream, softened by the country charm of its setting, not far from the historic village of Gravedona.
—Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2025
Spoiler alert: one horse is hidden in a safe that can only be opened with the right code, another is under a silver serving dish and yet another behind a wooden panel that only opens after hitting the right switch.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 17 June 2025
Wood: Cooks in Mexico still use wooden tortilla presses.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wooden
Cite this Entry
“Wooden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wooden. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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