red osier

noun

1. Also called red-osier dogwood. a North American dogwood, Cornus sericea (or C. stolonifera ), having red twigs and branches and white fruits.
2. any willow having reddish twigs and branches used for basketry or wickerwork.

red osier

noun

1. any of several willow trees that have red twigs used for basketwork

Word History and Origins

Origin of red osier¹

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10

Example Sentences

For damp ground there is no better shrub than the red osier dogwood.

From Project Gutenberg

Those spreading, pointed fingers of coral with a background of dazzling white are the topmost twigs of the red osier dogwood.

From Project Gutenberg

The immediate shores were also densely covered with the speckled alder, red osier, shrubby willows or sallows, and the like.

From Project Gutenberg

Cornus stolonifera (red-osier dogwood), prevailing shrub on shore of West Branch; fruit still white in August, 1857.

From Project Gutenberg

Before I had done with it my ribs showed through my skin and my back was like a red osier basket.

From Project Gutenberg