oak

[ ohk ]

noun

1. any tree or shrub belonging to the genus Quercus, of the beech family, bearing the acorn as fruit.
2. the hard, durable wood of an oak tree, used in making furniture and in construction.
3. Archaic. the leaves of an oak tree, especially as worn in a chaplet.

adjective

1. pertaining to or made of oak:

   an antique oak desk;

   heavy oak doors with double locks.

oak

/ əʊk /

noun

1. any deciduous or evergreen tree or shrub of the fagaceous genus Quercus, having acorns as fruits and lobed leaves See also holm oak cork oak red oak Turkey oak durmast quercine
2. 1. the wood of any of these trees, used esp as building timber and for making furniture
   2. ( as modifier )

      an oak table

3. any of various trees that resemble the oak, such as the poison oak, silky oak, and Jerusalem oak
4. 1. anything made of oak, esp a heavy outer door to a set of rooms in an Oxford or Cambridge college
   2. to shut this door as a sign one does not want visitors
5. the leaves of an oak tree, worn as a garland
6. the dark brownish colour of oak wood
7. any of various species of casuarina, such as desert oak, swamp oak, or she-oak

Other Words From

• oak·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of oak¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English ok(e), oc, Old English āc; cognate with Dutch eik, German Eiche, Old Icelandic eik; further origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of oak¹

Old English āc; related to Old Norse eik, Old High German eih, Latin aesculus

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sport one's oak, British. (of a university student) to indicate that one is not at home to visitors by closing the outer door of one's lodgings.

Example Sentences

Interesting side note: Mugwort tends to grow next to poison oak.

From Los Angeles Times

She added that election officials have received ominous texts and phone calls, including one in which a voice said, “I know your son’s window is on the second floor by the oak tree.”

From Los Angeles Times

Band member Andrew Stevenson grew up in Lochaber and knew about the ancient oak tree.

From BBC

Those areas will have similar plantings along with native oaks and other native trees, which can’t be planted on the crossing because their roots run too deep, Rock said.

From Los Angeles Times

Well-known trees such as magnolias are among the most threatened, with oaks, maple and ebonies also at risk.

From BBC

Related Words

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• arena
• auditorium
• cinema
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• drama
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• house
• movie
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• opera house
• playhouse
• room
• scene
• site
• theatre