weeping willow

American  

noun

1. an Asian willow, Salix babylonica, characterized by the drooping habit of its branches.

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weeping willow British  

noun

1. a hybrid willow tree, Salix alba × S. babylonica , known as S. alba var. tristis , having long hanging branches: widely planted for ornament

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Etymology

Origin of weeping willow

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

I grew up in New Hampshire, where there are really old graveyards, and I just loved the oldest headstones with the winged skulls and weeping willow.

From New York Times • Nov. 8, 2022

About 400 metres from ground zero in Hiroshima, a weeping willow and other plants regrew from their roots.

From Nature • Mar. 3, 2020

Outside the warehouse’s remains, hearts bearing the names of the 36 fire victims hang from a weeping willow tree of twisted iron branches and votives.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2017

She is tall, with straight brown hair and long arms that dangle, a little comically, like the boughs of a weeping willow.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 14, 2015

On her way to the stream, she saw Nana sitting on a chair, in the shade, beneath the domed roof of a weeping willow.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini