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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.
Synonyms of wooden
Examples of wooden in a Sentence
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
Standing behind a wooden podium, speaking to a row of news cameras and reporters, Joseph declined to answer questions about the use of a patrol vehicle to end the gun battle, citing an ongoing investigation.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
There are also informational pamphlets available for visitors at the trailhead, and the trails are well-marked with wooden signs along the way.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
How to season a wooden board Every month, your board needs some extra TLC.
—Lizzy Briskin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wooden
Cite this Entry
“Wooden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wooden. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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