black oak
Americannoun
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any of several oak trees, as Quercus velutina, characterized by a blackish bark.
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the hard, durable wood of such a tree, used for making furniture, floors, etc.
Etymology
Origin of black oak
An Americanism dating back to 1625–35
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.
In the Golden State, the beetles are attacking the coast live oak, canyon live oak and the California black oak.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2026
The city of Portland’s Urban Forestry program is currently experimenting with the assisted migration of 11 tree species, including three oak species to the south: California black oak, canyon live oak and interior live oak.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2023
Further south, in the San Bernardino Mountains, the black oak, bigleaf maple and aspen trees were starting to pop with orange and lime green, spotters said.
From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2016
The bark of the black oak is dark and ridged but seems almost smooth compared with the chestnut oak’s deep, blocky ridges.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 5, 2015
In a blur, he yanked out the black oak stopper, and shook some of the red ochre into his palm.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
