redwood

noun

red·​wood ˈred-ˌwu̇d 

1

: any of various woods (such as brazilwood) yielding a red dye

2

: a tree that yields a red dyewood or produces red or reddish wood

3

a

: a very tall coniferous tree (Sequoia sempervirens) of the cypress family that grows chiefly in coastal California, sometimes reaches a height of 360 feet (110 meters), and is a commercially important timber tree

called also coast redwood

see cone illustration compare dawn redwood

b

: its brownish-red durable wood

Examples of redwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Before logging operations began in the 19th century, much of Sonoma County was covered with redwoods. —Dan Fellner, The Arizona Republic, 19 Sep. 2024

This serene seaside county offers wineries, beaches, rivers, and redwoods — and in that list, only the wine costs money. —Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2024

For the show, Fahey is displaying an intricate sculpture made out of a piece of redwood found in the trash. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024

The species holding the No. 1 spot is the coastal redwood. —Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing redwood

• coast redwood
• dawn redwood

Kids Definition

redwood

noun

red·​wood ˈred-ˌwu̇d 

: a tall cone-producing evergreen tree mostly of coastal California that is related to the bald cypresses and sometimes grows to be 360 feet (110 meters) tall

also : its light long-lasting brownish red wood