willow

American  

[wil-oh] / ˈwɪl oʊ /

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.

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 British  

/ 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 British  

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)

---

Other Word Forms

• willowish adjective
• willowlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of willow

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

Example Sentences

Baker’s Indigenous and German heritage inform her three large abstract collage hangings, created using synthetic turf animated by acrylic paint, yarn and a variety of natural materials, including corn husk, willow, buffalo hide and buckskin.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

The original study reported a 1,500% surge in willow crown volume after wolves returned.

From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026

"There's not really enough willow to go round," added Stewart.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

She cited aspirin drawing on formulations using willow tree bark, contraceptive pills developed from yam plant roots and child cancer treatments based on Madagascar's rosy periwinkle flower.

From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025

It went wide, sinking into the trunk of the willow tree with a thump and a splash.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive