bough

[ bou ]

noun

1. a branch of a tree, especially one of the larger or main branches.

bough

/ baʊ /

noun

1. any of the main branches of a tree

Other Words From

• boughless adjective
• under·bough noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bough¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bogh, Old English bōg, bōh “shoulder, bough”; cognate with Old Norse bōgr, Dutch boeg, German Bug; akin to Greek pêchys, Sanskrit bāhu

Word History and Origins

Origin of bough¹

Old English bōg arm, twig; related to Old Norse bōgr shoulder, ship's bow, Old High German buog shoulder, Greek pēkhus forearm, Sanskrit bāhu ; see bow ³, elbow

Synonym Study

See branch.

Example Sentences

In a pleasant place, open yet sheltered by overhanging boughs, the hollow bole of a dead tree lay on the ground.

From Literature

Sometimes seven-year-old Bayas would stand on a slender bough and lean out until it bent under his bulk, then ride it to a neighboring trunk.

From National Geographic

That impulse is part of what led education technology company Outschool to explore options besides the typical dinner-and-drinks routine at a bar decked with boughs of holly.

From Seattle Times

The inquiry is perhaps the most substantial regulatory consequence to date of X, which has scaled back its content moderation policies since Mr. Musk bough the service, once known as Twitter, last year.

From New York Times

The halls are decked with boughs of holly.

From Salon

Related Words

• sprig