willow

[ wil-oh ]

noun

1. any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, characterized by narrow, lance-shaped leaves and dense catkins bearing small flowers, many species having tough, pliable twigs or branches used for wickerwork, etc. Compare willow family.
2. the wood of any of these trees.
3. Informal. something, especially a cricket bat, made of willow wood.
4. Also called willower, willy. a machine consisting essentially of a cylinder armed with spikes revolving within a spiked casing, for opening and cleaning cotton or other fiber.

verb (used with object)

1. to treat (textile fibers) with a willow.

willow

¹

/ ˈwɪləʊ /

noun

1. any of numerous salicaceous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix, such as the weeping willow and osiers of N temperate regions, which have graceful flexible branches, flowers in catkins, and feathery seeds
2. the whitish wood of certain of these trees
3. something made of willow wood, such as a cricket or baseball bat
4. a machine having a system of revolving spikes for opening and cleaning raw textile fibres

Willow

²

noun

1. a small town in S Alaska, about 113 km (70 miles) northwest of Anchorage: chosen as the site of the projected new state capital in 1976, a plan which never came to fruition. Pop: 1658 (2000)

Derived Forms

• ˈwillowish, adjective

Other Words From

• willow·like adjective
• willow·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of willow¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English wilwe, variant of wilghe, Old English welig; cognate with Old Saxon wilgia, Dutch wilg, Low German wilge

Word History and Origins

Origin of willow¹

Old English welig; related to wilige wicker basket, Old Saxon wilgia, Middle High German wilge, Greek helikē willow, helix twisted

Example Sentences

My wife (Susie Hariet) was pregnant with our second child (they have two children, daughter Willow, 4, and son Aubrey, 2).

From The Daily Beast

Earlier, a two-headed dragon in the Ron Howard flop Willow was known, at least around the set, as the “Ebersisk.”

From The Daily Beast

A few feet from where we sit is the sawed-off stump of a third willow.

From The Daily Beast

Two feet from the sawed-off stump of a third willow is the small foot-pump carousel Ray was sitting on when he shot himself.

From The Daily Beast

Other events include a Burns Night Supper on January 24, and a willow-weaving workshop in March.

From The Daily Beast

In a minute Bruce was back with his hat full of water from the creek that whimpered just beyond the willow patch.

From Project Gutenberg

What was equally important, a thick clump of cottonwood and willow furnished tolerably secure concealment.

From Project Gutenberg

He swept Aristide aside like an intercepting willow-branch, and poured forth a torrent of furious speech upon his wife.

From Project Gutenberg

The willow switch dropped; the various recitations came to a sudden pause.

From Project Gutenberg

A serious voice arrested the willow switch: I didnt like to be scolded when I was a little girl, it used to make me cry.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive