bamboo

American  

[bam-boo] / bæmˈbu /

noun

bamboos plural

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.

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bamboo British  

/ 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

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Etymology

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

Explanation

Bamboo is a woody plant with a hollow stem that's in the grass family. When bamboo is harvested and processed, it can be used to make things like flooring, paper, and chopsticks. If bamboo is prepared correctly, it can be eaten — you'll find bamboo shoots in many Chinese dishes, for example. Without the right preparation, though, bamboo is toxic to humans. Many products are made from bamboo in part because it's one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Bamboo is originally from the Dutch bamboe, which in turn comes from the Portuguese bambu. The root is thought to be the Malay word samambu.

Example Sentences

Inside the enclosure built to welcome his parents, the 170-day-old cub, whose name means "brave and noble warrior", was playing with a panda stuffed toy and a bamboo teether.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

His winning edge was the carbonized bamboo filament he pioneered shortly after his initial 1879 breakthrough, providing the longevity needed to turn a novelty into a utility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The inferno swept through seven of the estate's eight towers, which were under renovation and wrapped in bamboo scaffolding, netting and foam boards -- materials that may have accelerated the spread of flames.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

I wonder if I could pick up a bamboo cluster for a friend, as a birthday present.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

They looked about ten or eleven years old, wore banana leaves on their heads, and held mock guns made from bamboo.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie