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rowan

American  
[roh-uhn, rau-] / ˈroʊ ən, ˈraʊ- /

noun

  • rowans
    plural
  1. the European mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia, having pinnate leaves and clusters of bright red berries.

  2. either of two American mountain ashes, Sorbus americana or S. sambucifolia.

  3. the berry of any of these trees.


rowan British  
/ ˈrəʊən, ˈraʊ- /

noun

  1. another name for the (European) mountain ash

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of rowan

1795–1805; < Old Norse *raun- in reynir, Norwegian raun


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The moose mostly ate birch, rowan and willow trees.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 11, 2023

Flavored with Scottish rowan berry among other botanicals.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 27, 2021

The children presented the monarch with two rowan trees that will be planted as part of the Queen's Green Canopy, a UK-wide tree planting initiative to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee next year.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2021

Surrounded by sea and hills, rowan trees, hawthorn and holly, it had a fragrant compost loo-with-a-view.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 24, 2016

‘If the rowan leaves and the pouch couldn’t hide the river eyes,’ he said, ‘why do you think bark and wormwood can do any better?’

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Among the pines grew rowans hung with scarlet berries, and bilberry bushes whose leaves would be fair game for white moth caterpillars in spring.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 25, 2020

Nevertheless, he could not quite overcome his surprise when, after a short while, they indeed came upon a swift running brook winding its way through a stand of rowans.

From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander

Gurgi, sniffing hungrily, ran ahead and disappeared into a stand of rowans.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

Just as he reached the little lawn among the rowans he overtook him, toiling uphill, panting and calling, Frodo!

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Noo, ye'll stand awa' back while I'm creepin'   Wi' my snoot i' the gowans; There's a bonny twalve-poonder a-sleepin'   I' the shade o' yon rowans.

From Collected Poems 1897 - 1907, by Henry Newbolt by Sir Henry John Newbolt

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