greasewood

[ grees-wood ]

noun
  1. a shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, of the amaranth family, growing in alkaline regions of the western U.S., containing a small amount of oil.

  2. any of various similar shrubs.

Origin of greasewood

1
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; grease + wood1
  • Also called grease·bush [grees-boosh]. /ˈgrisˌbʊʃ/.

Words Nearby greasewood

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use greasewood in a sentence

  • “My bed,” she said briefly, “over there,” and she indicated a thicket of greasewood the wagon had passed on their arrival.

    The Treasure Trail | Marah Ellis Ryan
  • The night had turned chill and Clodomiro spread the serape of Doña Jocasta over a heap of flowering greasewood branches.

    The Treasure Trail | Marah Ellis Ryan
  • He had tossed a bit of greasewood on the coals that he might again study the face of El Gavilan.

    The Treasure Trail | Marah Ellis Ryan
  • On one side was cactus and greasewood and a waste of sandy land, that was already back in the Union or mighty soon would be.

    Those Times And These | Irvin S. Cobb
  • The local touch in making the greasewood bush the first vegetation is very strong.

    Aw-Aw-Tam Indian Nights | J. William Lloyd

British Dictionary definitions for greasewood

greasewood

greasebush (ˈɡriːsˌbʊʃ)

/ (ˈɡriːsˌwʊd) /


noun
  1. Also called: chico a spiny chenopodiaceous shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus of W North America, that yields an oil used as a fuel

  2. any of various similar or related plants, such as the creosote bush

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012