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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
Wild horses were rare in this part of the Jemez, but a line of large, round prints marked the place where a heavy animal had walked down the edge of the pit and into a tangle of alders.
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Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025
Her objections to the request were submitted at this week’s council session with alders expected to seek to overturn her veto at the Feb. 18 council session, which is being held on a Tuesday because of Presidents’ Day on Monday, Feb. 17.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
Flashback: Johnson pitched a $300 million property tax hike in October, but after public outcry and unanimous pushback from alders, the mayor's budget team managed to present a plan this weekend without a property tax hike.
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Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
What's next: At least two other alders introduced similar bans in their own wards.
—
Monica Eng, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025
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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 19 Feb. 2025.
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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