cedar

[ see-der ]

noun

1. any of several Old World, coniferous trees of the genus Cedrus, having wide, spreading branches. Compare cedar of Lebanon.
2. any of various junipers, as the red cedar, Juniperus virginiana, of the cypress family, having reddish-brown bark and dark-blue, berrylike fruit.
3. any of various other coniferous trees. Compare incense cedar, white cedar.
4. any of several trees belonging to the genus Cedrela, of the mahogany family, as the Spanish cedar.
5. Also called cedarwood. the fragrant wood of any of these trees, used in furniture and as a moth repellent.

cedar

/ ˈsiːdə /

noun

1. any Old World coniferous tree of the genus Cedrus, having spreading branches, needle-like evergreen leaves, and erect barrel-shaped cones: family Pinaceae See also cedar of Lebanon deodar
2. any of various other conifers, such as the red cedars and white cedars
3. the wood of any of these trees
4. any of certain other plants, such as the Spanish cedar

adjective

1. made of the wood of a cedar tree

Word History and Origins

Origin of cedar¹

before 1000; Middle English cedir, Old English ceder < Latin cedrus < Greek kédros; replacing Middle English cedre < Old French < Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of cedar¹

C13: from Old French cedre, from Latin cedrus, from Greek kedros

Example Sentences

It turned out to be an Eastern red cedar tree that was 3,775 years old.

From NewsForKids.net

“My first memories are of me putting my foot into that cedar tree,” Mix said while visiting the site Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times

During the day, when you aren’t out adventuring, you can find a shady spot beneath a towering ponderosa pine or cedar tree.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s cedar brown, with a black, narrow snout and ears that appear designed to achieve liftoff.

From Los Angeles Times

Imagine a garden where cedar trunks and fallen branches from nearby oaks uphold an overhead miniature railway, with more rails and trains running at toddler eye level.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• evergreen