redwood

¹ American  

[red-wood] / ˈrɛdˌwʊd /

noun

• redwoods
  plural

1. any of the three extant tree species of the coniferous subfamily Sequoioideae, specifically the giant sequoia, coast redwood, and dawn redwood.

2. the valuable brownish-red timber of the coast redwood or giant sequoia, the harvesting of which is strictly regulated.

3. a red or reddish wood.

4. any of various trees yielding a red or reddish wood.

5. any tree whose wood produces a red dyestuff.

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adjective

1. made of red or reddish wood, especially that of the coast redwood or giant sequoia, the harvesting of which is strictly regulated.

   a six-piece set of redwood furniture for the patio.

redwood ² American  

[red-wood] / ˈrɛdˌwʊd /

Or redwud

adjective

Scot.

1. raving mad; insane.

2. distracted with anger; furious.

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redwood British  

/ ˈrɛdˌwʊd /

noun

1. a giant coniferous tree, Sequoia sempervirens , of coastal regions of California, having reddish fibrous bark and durable timber: family Taxodiaceae . The largest specimen is over 120 metres (360 feet) tall See also sequoia

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• redwoods
  plural

Etymology

Origin of redwood¹

First recorded in 1610–20; red ¹ + wood ¹

Origin of redwood²

First recorded in 1550–60; red ¹ + wood ²

Explanation

Redwoods are a kind of large, ancient evergreen trees commonly found on the coast of California. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living things on Earth. These magnificent trees are made up of three species, Sequoia and Sequoiadendron in California and Oregon, and China's Metasequoia. Redwoods have adapted over millions of years to be resistant to fire and infection, and they can reach heights of over 300 feet. Their name comes from the reddish-brown shade of their wood and bark. In 16th-century Scotland, the unrelated adjective redwood was used to mean "completely deranged."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

redwood redwoods

The redwood groves begin within stone-skipping distance of the Burke’s property and follow the river downstream.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Then they spend hours gliding downstream past scenery that might as well be a Northern California highlight reel: vineyards, redwood forests and eventually a beach scene full of driftwood and sea stacks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The Botanical Gardens, a redwood grove, pickleball courts and a panoramic view of the city are an easy bike ride from home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026

Stolz’s redwood thighs have been punishing the field in Milan, shattering Olympic records and Dutch dreams.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

At Areata, California, in the dripping redwood forests of the Pacific shore, McCandless turned right on U.S.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

For decades, loggers and environmentalists have clashed over the fate of its stately redwoods.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

About five years ago, community members caught wind of plans to chop down towering redwoods within Jackson, near the coastal town of Caspar.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026

But she loves being so close to the old-growth redwoods and the Eel River, which she swims in.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2026

As the Save the Redwoods League notes, “You can’t find both yucca and coast redwoods in very many parks.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2025

San Francisco always felt like an island to me, surrounded by the mythical East Bay with its restaurants and parks and North Bay with its wealth and its redwoods.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour