yew

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noun \ ˈyü \

Definition of yew

1 a :any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen gymnospermous trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril: such as

(1) :a long-lived Eurasian tree or shrub (T. baccata) — called also English yew

(2) :a low straggling bush (T. canadensis) of the eastern U.S. and Canada

(3) :pacific yew

b :the wood of a yew; especially :the heavy fine-grained wood of the English yew

2 archaic :an archery bow made of yew

See yew defined for English-language learners

See yew defined for kids

Examples of yew in a Sentence

a bow made of yew

Recent Examples of yew from the Web

About 400 of these species—including rosewood, bigleaf mahogany and Asian yews—are actively, commercially exploited.

— lyndsie bourgon, Smithsonian, "How Thousand-Year-Old Trees Became the New Ivory," 22 May 2017
Lawns were divided by hedges of yew and rhododendron and paths bordered by brilliant flowers, specimen magnolias, cypresses and conifers.

— francine prose, New York Times, "The Bloomsbury Bohemians in the British Countryside," 9 May 2017
Stroud has turned traditional conservation on its head by facilitating the fern’s canopy survival hack in the cape yew trees.

— National Geographic, "Mysterious Island Experiment Could Help Us Colonize Other Planets," 8 May 2017
To commemorate the sergeant’s visit, Stroud has invited him to plant a ceremonial tree to contribute to this effort of creating a large cape yew canopy, where the last endemic ferns might persist.

— National Geographic, "Mysterious Island Experiment Could Help Us Colonize Other Planets," 8 May 2017
Learn how waste becomes grower’s gold Want to get rid of the toxic yew in your yard?

— joe jaszewski, idahostatesman, "Want to get rid of your lawn? Check out Saturday's Idaho Native Plant Society sale for replacement ideas," 17 Mar. 2017
Learn how waste becomes grower’s gold Want to get rid of the toxic yew in your yard?

— joe jaszewski, idahostatesman, "Want to get rid of your lawn? Check out Saturday's Idaho Native Plant Society sale for replacement ideas," 17 Mar. 2017
Intermixed were added English yew trees, cedars, and stands of California coast redwoods.

— shirley burgett, The Mercury News, "Matters Historical: Bringing a sense of Swiss aristocracy to San Mateo," 17 Feb. 2017

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

Illustration of yew

Origin and Etymology of yew

Middle English ew, from Old English īw; akin to Old High German īwa yew, Middle Irish eó

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

YEW Defined for English Language Learners

yew

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noun

Definition of yew for English Language Learners

: an evergreen tree or bush with stiff needles and small red berries
: the wood of a yew

YEW Defined for Kids

yew

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noun \ ˈyü \

Definition of yew for Students

:a tree or shrub with stiff needlelike evergreen leaves and seeds having a red juicy covering

Medical Dictionary

yew

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noun \ ˈyü \

medical Definition of yew

:any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril; especially :one (T. brevifolia) of the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada whose bark yields the antineoplastic drug paclitaxel