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: any of a genus (Alnus) of toothed-leaved trees or shrubs of the birch family that have catkins which become woody, that typically grow in cool moist ground, and that have wood used especially in turnery
also
: its wood
Examples of alder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wauwatosa budget passes following discussion over 'misinformation' claims The Wauwatosa Common Council approved the executive budget in a 14-2 vote, with alders Makhlouf and Andrew Meindl voting no.
—Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 26 Nov. 2024
Bob Dunn, 68, was struck and pinned down by an alder tree that was roughly 20 inches in diameter.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
An early test could differentiate between recordings of alder flycatchers and willow flycatchers.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
In response, 41 alders scheduled a hearing to learn more about the nominees and asked the mayor to encourage them to attend.
—Monica Eng, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English alor; akin to Old High German elira alder, Latin alnus
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of alder was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing alder
Dictionary Entries Near alder
Cite this Entry
“Alder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alder. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
alder
noun
al·der
ˈȯl-dər
: any of a genus of toothed-leaved trees or shrubs related to the birches
Biographical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on alder
Nglish: Translation of alder for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alder
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