incense cedar

noun

: a tall tree (Calocedrus decurrens synonym Libocedrus decurrens) of the cypress family found growing from Oregon to Baja California that has reddish-brown bark, scalelike foliage, and light soft aromatic wood
also : its wood

Examples of incense cedar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The second story pole, also hand carved by Beebe from an incense cedar tree and weighing 1,200 pounds, shows a smoke dance with an eagle guarding a family. Jeastman, oregonlive, 28 June 2023 Conditions favored shade-tolerant trees — white fir, red fir and incense cedar — that prefer dense, closed canopies. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2023 The whir of a disc-saw echoed across Palomar Mountain on a recent December afternoon as loggers cut down hundreds of white fir and incense cedar on a steep hillside dotted with rustic homes. San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2023 Several teams recently converged at Blodgett Forest Research Station northeast of Sacramento, an area thick with towering Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and incense cedar. New York Times, 7 Sep. 2022 Cooler northern slopes could be more hospitable to incense cedar and Douglas fir in a mixed oak forest. Julie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Oct. 2021 Near the base of the spiral staircase is an alluring mix of wood: Douglas fir stairs were contoured to follow the curves of an incense cedar tree trunk. Janet Eastman, oregonlive, 22 Sep. 2019 Many conifers, including western red cedar, incense cedar, grand fir and even valley ponderosa pine are succumbing, as well. oregonlive.com, 20 Aug. 2019 Towering incense cedar tree trunks, cut from a sustainable forest in Northern California, serve as captivating pillars. Janet Eastman, oregonlive, 22 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incense cedar was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near incense cedar

Cite this Entry

“Incense cedar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incense%20cedar. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on incense cedar

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!