heartwood

[ hahrt-wood ]

noun

1. the hard central wood of the trunk of an exogenous tree; duramen.

heartwood

/ ˈhɑːtˌwʊd /

noun

1. the central core of dark hard wood in tree trunks, consisting of nonfunctioning xylem tissue that has become blocked with resins, tannins, and oils Compare sapwood

heartwood

/ härt′wd′ /

1. The older, nonliving central wood of a tree or woody plant, usually darker and harder than the younger sapwood. Unlike the sapwood, it no longer conducts water, and its main function is the support of the tree.

Word History and Origins

Origin of heartwood¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; heart + wood ¹

Example Sentences

She also authored Heartwood, a story collection for adult literacy students, and edited The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South.

From The Daily Beast

The spores of a heartwood-inhabiting fungus cannot germinate and thrive unless they fall upon the heartwood of the tree.

From Project Gutenberg

Spores of parasitic fungi enter the cracks, germinate and infect the heartwood.

From Project Gutenberg

Nearly all the larger trees in the Fuegian forests have the heartwood decayed, and are worthless as timber.

From Project Gutenberg

Pur′ple-wood, -heart, the heartwood of Copaifera pubiflora, used for ramrods.

From Project Gutenberg

The living outer portion of a trunk or large branch of a tree between the heartwood and the bark.

From Project Gutenberg