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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bamboos
  plural

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

See Examples For:

bamboo bamboos

Some of the animals rescued include brownbanded bamboo sharks, a near-threatened species; ocellaris clownfish; and Banggai cardinalfish, an endangered species.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Consumers already have options like paper products made from bamboo or recycled paper.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Many face poor living conditions in Bangladesh, living in makeshift homes of tarpaulin and bamboo on steep hillsides.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 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

The giant panda has a special, thick lining in its throat to protect against bamboo splinters.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

It’s giving fat bamboos and obnoxiously long nails.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2022

Unlike other heavenly bamboos that develop lanky canes over time, ‘Gulf Stream’ remains bushy and compact.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 16, 2022

Three years may pass before I revisit one on bamboos, for example, but as I tell my colleagues: “When I need it, I really need it.”

From Washington Post ● Jan. 30, 2018

We peered across thick stands of trees where Walter had taken us foraging for edible palms and rattans, and bamboos with liquid inside.

From New York Times ● Feb. 21, 2014

The bamboos at the corner of the house swayed slowly under a gentle night wind and through the twilight he could see dimly the fringe of trees at the border of the near field.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck