red oak

noun

1

: any of various North American oaks (such as Quercus rubra and Quercus falcata) that have acorns with the inner surface of the shell lined with woolly hairs, the acorn cap covered with thin scales, and leaf veins that usually run beyond the margin of the leaf to form bristles

2

: the wood of a red oak

Examples of red oak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some species, like maple, red oak, and hickory wood, tend to fade at a relatively slow rate, gradually becoming a lighter shade. —Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2024

Sugar maple, red oak, hickory, red maple, Frasier fir, and scarlet oak are prevalent here, creating a dense enclave of reds, oranges, yellows, and deep greens. —Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

These included red oaks, black cherries, hemlocks, and bigtooth aspens. —Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Aug. 2024

The main difference between the two restaurants was revealed in a Texas Monthly exclusive interview: Roy and Wes Hutchins (who own the Original Roy Hutchins Barbeque) use red oak to smoke their meat. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

red oak

noun

1

: any of various North American oaks with acorns that take two years to mature and leaves with bristles on the edge

2

: the wood of a red oak