spinney

noun

spin·​ney ˈspi-nē How to pronounce spinney (audio)
plural spinneys
chiefly British
: a small wood with undergrowth

Examples of spinney in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Sculptural ceiling lights inspired by a Franz West exhibition Edie visited at Tate Modern in 2019 were made by her best friend, the artist Christabel MacGreevy, and side tables were crafted from chunks of pine from a spinney on the property by the designer James Shaw. Ellie Pithers, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spinney.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French espinei thorny thicket, ultimately from Latin spinetum, from spina thorn

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spinney was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near spinney

Cite this Entry

“Spinney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spinney. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

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