Definition: Wood

Etymology

From Middle English wode, from Old English wudu, widu (wood, forest, grove; tree; timber), from Proto-West Germanic *widu, from Proto-Germanic *widuz (wood), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁- (to separate).

Cognate with Dutch wede (wood, twig), Middle High German wite (wood), Danish ved (wood), Swedish ved (firewood), Icelandic viður (wood). Further cognates include Irish fiodh (a wood, tree), Irish fid (tree) and Welsh gwŷdd (trees); all from Proto-Celtic *widus (wood). Unrelated to Dutch woud (forest), German Wald (forest).

Noun

wood (countable and uncountable, plural woods)

The substance making up the central part of the trunk and branches of a tree. Used as a material for construction, to manufacture various items, etc. or as fuel.
This table is made of wood.

There was lots of wood on the beach.
The wood of a particular species of tree.
Teak is much used for outdoor benches, but a number of other woods are also suitable, such as ipé, redwood, etc.
(often plural) A forested or wooded area.
A wood beyond this moor was viewed as a border area in the seventeenth century.

He got lost in the woods beyond Seattle.
Firewood.
We need more wood for the fire.
(golf) A type of golf club, the head of which was traditionally made of wood.
I am still learning when to use an iron and when to use a wood.
(music) A woodwind instrument.

Usage notes

In the sense of "a forested area", the singular generally refers to a discrete area of forest, while the plural is often used when a more vaguely defined area is meant.

Derived terms

applewood
backwoods
balsawood
beechwood
birchwood
blackwood
brushwood
cedarwood
cherrywood
cottonwood
deadwood
dogwood
driftwood
elkwood
elmwood
firewood
firwood
hardwood
Hollywood
pinewood
plywood
redwood
rosewood
scrapwood
tigerwood
torchwood
underwood
wetwood
wildwood
woodblock
woodcarver
woodcarving
woodchip
woodchipper
woodchopper
woodcutter
wood-elf
wooden
woodland
wood lot
woodman
woodnymph
woodpecker
woodpile
woodshed
woodshop
woodsman
woodsorrel
woodstove
woodswoman
woodwind
woodwork

Verb

wood (third-person singular simple present woods, present participle wooding, simple past and past participle wooded)

To cover or plant with trees.
To hide behind trees.
To supply with wood, or get supplies of wood for.
We used to wood the trains back in the day.
To take or get a supply of wood.

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors copied and adjusted this Wiktionary entry in accordance with NWE standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit for this article is due to both New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions at Wiktionary is accessible to researchers here:

wood ^history