bamboo

[bam-boo]

noun, plural bam·boos.

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.

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

Origin of bamboo

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bamboo

Contemporary Examples of bamboo

The young man weaves through clusters of bamboo and cuts a diagonal slash into a tree, positioning a hollow log at the end.
The Congo's Forgotten Colonial Getaway
Nina Strochlic
December 18, 2014
Some facilities had begun erecting “bamboo hand washing stations” at the entrance to hospitals, but not enough.
$10,000 a Month for Ebola Fighters
Abby Haglage
October 7, 2014
When she was young, the homes were made of bamboo and there were no cars or motorbikes.
A Little Too Off the Beaten Path in Burma
Katya Cengel
June 2, 2014
Tell that to the nearby pandas, happily ensconced with their bamboo, magnificently ignoring everything.
How to Catch a Depressed Gorilla, Japanese-Style
Tim Teeman
February 6, 2014
The rooms are cold and the bamboo sticks are infused with aromas; each room exudes a different Japanese scent.
The Royal Academy Wants You to Finish This Artwork
Chloë Ashby
January 24, 2014

Historical Examples of bamboo

The framework is of bamboo, strengthened and held taut with wire guys.
Flying Machines
W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
Bamboo is used in the construction of the body frame, and also for the frame of the tail.
Flying Machines
W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
Dschang Go has a bamboo drum with two drum-sticks (and his donkey).
The Chinese Fairy Book
Various
The “bamboo basket” is a Moses motive which occurs in other Chinese fairy-tales.
The Chinese Fairy Book
Various
Within the room was a bed of bamboo, without covers or pillows.
The Chinese Fairy Book
Various

British Dictionary definitions for bamboo

bamboo

noun

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)

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

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

(modifier) made of bambooa bamboo fence

Word Origin for bamboo

C16: probably from Malay bambu

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

Word Origin and History for bamboo

1590s, from Dutch bamboe, from Portuguese bambu, earlier mambu (16c.), probably from Malay samambu, though some suspect this is itself an imported word.