greasewood

[ grees-wood ]

/ ˈgrisˌwʊd /

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noun

a shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, of the amaranth family, growing in alkaline regions of the western U.S., containing a small amount of oil.

any of various similar shrubs.

white sage (def. 1).

Western U.S. mesquite.

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Also called grease·bush

[grees-boosh]. /ˈgrisˌbʊʃ/.

Origin of greasewood

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; grease + wood¹

Words nearby greasewood

grease pencil, greaseproof paper, greaser, grease someone's palm, grease the wheels, greasewood, greasies, greasy, greasy goal, greasy spoon, greasy wool

How to use greasewood in a sentence

“My bed,” she said briefly, “over there,” and she indicated a thicket of greasewood the wagon had passed on their arrival.
The Treasure Trail|Marah Ellis Ryan
The night had turned chill and Clodomiro spread the serape of Doña Jocasta over a heap of flowering greasewood branches.
The Treasure Trail|Marah Ellis Ryan
He had tossed a bit of greasewood on the coals that he might again study the face of El Gavilan.
The Treasure Trail|Marah Ellis Ryan
On one side was cactus and greasewood and a waste of sandy land, that was already back in the Union or mighty soon would be.
Those Times And These|Irvin S. Cobb

The local touch in making the greasewood bush the first vegetation is very strong.
Aw-Aw-Tam Indian Nights|J. William Lloyd

British Dictionary definitions for greasewood

greasewood

greasebush (ˈɡriːsˌbʊʃ)

/ (ˈɡriːsˌwʊd) /

noun

Also called: chico a spiny chenopodiaceous shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus of W North America, that yields an oil used as a fuel

any of various similar or related plants, such as the creosote bush

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