ponderosa pine

noun

pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˈrō-sə- 

-zə-

: a tall pine (Pinus ponderosa) of western North America with long needles usually in groups of two or three

also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood

Examples of ponderosa pine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Presidential Trail, which begins at the Grand View Terrace, takes visitors through ponderosa pines and loops closer to the mountain for additional views, such as seeing Washington’s face framed by rock. —Lisa Meyers McClintick, USA Today, 21 June 2025

Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 12 June 2025

Dry ponderosa pine woodlands are similarly open in structure and contain trees up to nearly 1,000 years old. —Reed Frederick Noss, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025

The San Carlos Apache Tribe gifted a 40-foot ponderosa pine tree to the state to decorate the capital. —The Arizona Republic, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ponderosa, specific epithet of Pinus ponderosa, from Latin, feminine of ponderosus ponderous

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ponderosa pine

• aminophylline
• azathioprine
• chlorpheniramine
• cholestyramine
• cryptocrystalline
• diphenhydramine
• hydroxyproline
• intercrystalline
• microcrystalline
• monocrystalline
• nanocrystalline
• neuroendocrine

Kids Definition

ponderosa pine

noun

pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˌrō- sə- 

-zə-

: a tall timber pine of western North America with long needles in groups of 2 or 3

also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood