driftwood

American  

[drift-wood] / ˈdrɪftˌwʊd /

noun

1. wood floating on a body of water or cast ashore by it.

2. such wood adapted for use in interior decoration.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or made of driftwood.

   a driftwood lamp.

driftwood British  

/ ˈdrɪftˌwʊd /

noun

1. wood floating on or washed ashore by the sea or other body of water

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Etymology

Origin of driftwood

First recorded in 1605–15; drift + wood ¹

Explanation

Those smooth sticks and logs you see washed up on the beach are known as driftwood. They've been worn by the motion of the water over time. You can find driftwood on the shore of oceans, lakes, and rivers, where it's been tossed by the tide or blown by the wind. While driftwood is officially a type of debris or trash, it's often quite lovely, smoothed into interesting shapes by the water. Driftwood can originate from shipwrecks, rotted pilings, or trees that have been washed into the sea by storms. As it decomposes, beached ocean driftwood often forms the foundation of sand dunes.

Example Sentences

“The Housemaid” stumbles, and it doesn’t help that Sweeney spends much of the film meandering throughout its narrative like a piece of driftwood that keeps washing back onto the shore.

From Salon • Jan. 31, 2026

Soldiers and police had helped clear the debris and driftwood.

From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025

My tent set up and food safely stored in the provided metal boxes, I went over to the tiny beach and sat on a driftwood log, relaxing under the sun’s warm rays.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 2025

At low tide, the sea is not visible beyond the expanse of grassland, but the area is littered with driftwood, some plastic waste and there is even a small, upturned boat nearby.

From BBC • May 30, 2025

Faint deep coals of the driftwood fire pulsing in the onshore wind.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Related Words

• chunk
• piece
• timber
• wood