bamboo

[bam-boo]

noun

plural

bamboos 

1. any of the woody or treelike tropical and semitropical grasses of the genera Bambusa, Phyllostachys, Dendrocalamus, and allied genera, having woody, usually hollow stems with stalked blades and flowering only after years of growth.

2. the stem of such a plant, used as a building material and for making furniture, poles, etc.

bamboo

/ bæmˈbuː /

noun

1. any tall treelike tropical or semitropical fast-growing grass of the genus Bambusa , having hollow woody-walled stems with ringed joints and edible young shoots ( bamboo shoots )

2. the stem of any of these plants, used for building, poles, and furniture

3. any of various bamboo-like grasses of the genera Arundinaria , Phyllostachys or Dendrocalamus

4. (modifier) made of bamboo

   a bamboo fence

Word History and Origins

Origin of bamboo¹

1590–1600; spelling variant of earlier bambu < Malay, apparently < Dravidian; compare Kannada bambu, bombu a large, hollow bam-boo (or directly < Dravidian); replacing bambus < Dutch bamboes; compare New Latin bambūsa

Word History and Origins

Origin of bamboo¹

C16: probably from Malay bambu

Example Sentences

The name "kagome metal" comes from the Japanese word "kagome," meaning "basket eyes" or "basket pattern," which refers to a traditional bamboo weaving technique that creates interlocking triangular designs.

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Reusable pads look similar to disposable ones but are usually made from cotton or bamboo and fasten around your underwear with poppers.

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On the video call, Foyaz Ullah showed the scars on his right wrist, and described repeatedly being punched and slapped on his back and face, and poked with a bamboo rod.

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Fragments of bamboo ski poles, remains of an oil lamp, glass containers for cosmetics, and fragments from military tents were also collected.

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In July 2020, strings and bamboo sticks from a kite were found in the engine of a plane after it arrived at Soekarno-Hatta.

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