madrone

American  

[muh-droh-nuh] / məˈdroʊ nə /

Also madrona,

noun

1. any of several evergreen trees belonging to the genus Arbutus, of the heath family, especially A. menziesii Pacific madrone of western North America, having red, flaky bark and bearing edible reddish berries.

2. the pale reddish-brown wood of this tree.

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Etymology

Origin of madrone

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; from Latin American Spanish (Panama, Colombia), Spanish madroño “strawberry tree,” Mozarabic maṭroño; further origin uncertain

Compare meaning

How does madrone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• madrone vs. manzanita

Example Sentences

Be on the lookout for flora and fauna, like rare stands of Pacific madrone, eagles and herons.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 4, 2023

Cedar, fir, madrone trees, scabbed with muscles, kelp, barnacles.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 15, 2023

One afternoon in June, Mr. Smith surveyed the damage to his forest, stopping at a madrone he especially liked but whose odds weren’t good.

From New York Times • Jul. 18, 2021

We gazed through a window at the tops of oak and madrone trees growing on the slope.

From The New Yorker • May 20, 2019

As soon as we were alone, he swung me up into his arms, and carried me across the dark grounds till he reached the bench beneath the shadow of the madrone trees.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer