willow

noun

wil·​low ˈwi-(ˌ)lō 

1

: any of a genus (Salix of the family Salicaceae, the willow family) of trees and shrubs bearing catkins of apetalous flowers and including forms of value for wood, osiers, or tanbark and a few ornamentals

2

: an object made of willow wood

especially : a cricket bat

willowlike

ˈwi-lō-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of willow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It's packed with skin-loving ingredients like glycolic acid to gently exfoliate, willow bark extract to keep pores clear, and green tea seed oil to nourish and soothe. —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 Jan. 2025

Ancient cultures and Indigenous peoples around the world, particularly in Europe and North America, used the bark of certain species of the willow tree for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects. —Bill Frist, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

He will be laid to rest beside his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, who passed in November 2023, under a willow tree at their home. —Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Jan. 2025

That was the case when Captain William Francis Lynch took a slip from a willow tree that grew by Napoleon Bonaparte’s original gravesite. —Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wilghe, wilowe, from Old English welig; akin to Middle High German wilge willow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing willow

• weeping willow
• willow herb

Kids Definition

willow

noun

wil·​low ˈwil-ō 

: any of a genus of trees and shrubs that often have narrow leaves, produce catkins for flowers, and include some used for their wood, for making baskets, or as ornamentals

willowlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective