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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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