willow

[ wil-oh ]

noun

1. any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, characterized by narrow, lance-shaped leaves and dense catkins bearing small flowers, many species having tough, pliable twigs or branches used for wickerwork, etc. Compare willow family.
2. the wood of any of these trees.
3. Informal. something, especially a cricket bat, made of willow wood.
4. Also called willower, willy. a machine consisting essentially of a cylinder armed with spikes revolving within a spiked casing, for opening and cleaning cotton or other fiber.

verb (used with object)

1. to treat (textile fibers) with a willow.

willow

¹

/ ˈwɪləʊ /

noun

1. any of numerous salicaceous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix, such as the weeping willow and osiers of N temperate regions, which have graceful flexible branches, flowers in catkins, and feathery seeds
2. the whitish wood of certain of these trees
3. something made of willow wood, such as a cricket or baseball bat
4. a machine having a system of revolving spikes for opening and cleaning raw textile fibres

Willow

²

noun

1. a small town in S Alaska, about 113 km (70 miles) northwest of Anchorage: chosen as the site of the projected new state capital in 1976, a plan which never came to fruition. Pop: 1658 (2000)

Derived Forms

• ˈwillowish, adjective

Other Words From

• willow·like adjective
• willow·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of willow¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English wilwe, variant of wilghe, Old English welig; cognate with Old Saxon wilgia, Dutch wilg, Low German wilge

Word History and Origins

Origin of willow¹

Old English welig; related to wilige wicker basket, Old Saxon wilgia, Middle High German wilge, Greek helikē willow, helix twisted

Example Sentences

Tall cottonwood trees and willows enveloped the riverbanks in cool shade and swallows soared among the branches.

From Los Angeles Times

Also, a graceful arroyo willow that sprouted near Margaret’s one-time vegetable garden now towers over the family’s home, attracting so many bees with its spring blooms that the branches seem to hum.

From Los Angeles Times

Tree varieties include Eureka lemon, pink guava, Golden Delicious apple, coast live oak, olive, crape myrtle, California sycamore, desert willow and torrey pines.

From Los Angeles Times

They made their way down from the San Bernardino Mountains to sunny Palm Desert, where they found temporary homes in enclosures shaded by desert willows and fan palms.

From Los Angeles Times

“How their history connects with the willows on our farm and the history of Indigenous people here. And then how to treat the Earth with respect.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive