wooden

American  

[wood-n] / ˈwʊd n /

adjective

1. consisting or made of wood; wood.

   a wooden ship.

2. stiff, ungainly, or awkward.

   a wooden gait.

3. without spirit, animation, or awareness.

   Synonyms:

   impassive, lifeless, vacant, expressionless

4. dull or stupid.

5. indicating the fifth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.

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wooden British  

/ ˈwʊdən /

adjective

1. made from or consisting of wood

2. awkward or clumsy

3. bereft of spirit or animation

   a wooden expression

4. obstinately unyielding

   a wooden attitude

5. mentally slow or dull

6. not highly resonant

   a wooden thud

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verb

1. slang (tr) to fell or kill (a person or animal)

Other Word Forms

• woodenly adverb
• woodenness noun

Etymology

Origin of wooden

First recorded in 1530–40; wood ¹ + -en ²

Example Sentences

Maggie grips the wooden table to steady herself and does the anxiety exercise Grandma Star taught her.

From Literature

Her ornate wood frame is perched atop four curved wooden legs, her arms as high as her back, and she’s been repaired with duct tape in more than a few places.

From Literature

On the opposite side, a ramshackle cabin hovered over the water on wooden stilts.

From Literature

A wooden Apple I case, a clear acrylic Macintosh, a large iPod prototype and other items from Apple’s past fill the room.

From Los Angeles Times

Beside him, a wooden stake marked the corner of a mining claim.

From Los Angeles Times