arrowwood

American

[ar-oh-wood] / ˈær oʊˌwʊd /

noun

any of several shrubs or small trees, especially of the genus Viburnum, having tough, straight shoots formerly used for arrows.

arrowwood British

/ ˈærəʊˌwʊd /

noun

any of various trees or shrubs, esp certain viburnums, having long straight tough stems formerly used by North American Indians to make arrows

"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

Etymology

Origin of arrowwood

An Americanism dating back to 1700–10; so called from its use in making arrows

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.

The arrowwood viburnum was sown a year earlier, but is now 24 inches high and fit for planting out.

From Seattle Times

It is also home to two hotels: the 445-room Hilton Rye Town on 37 acres and the 337-room Doral Arrowwood on 114 acres with a convention center and golf course.

From New York Times

Of the four species of viburnum in our woods, arrowwood is at the greatest risk.

From New York Times

Grubs of the invasive viburnum leaf beetle are killing many native shrubs, including arrowwood.

From New York Times

All the boys went up the mountain side to get hickory limbs for bows, and arrowwood for "spikes".

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023