incense cedar
Americannoun
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a tree of the cypress family’s genus Calocedrus, especially C. decurrens California incense cedar of western North America, which may grow to more than 190 feet (58 meters) in height.
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the aromatic, close-grained wood of this tree, used to make pencils, chests, closet linings, etc.
Etymology
Origin of incense cedar
An Americanism dating back to 1865–70
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.
A canopy of Jeffrey pine, red fir and incense cedar shaded the trail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 28, 2025
The remainder were sugar pine, noble fir, red fir, incense cedar, western red cedar, mountain hemlock and western hemlock.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 28, 2023
Several teams recently converged at Blodgett Forest Research Station northeast of Sacramento, an area thick with towering Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and incense cedar.
From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022
“Fortunately, there are many alternative tree species, including Oregon white oak, incense cedar and Chinese pistache, that might be more heat and drought resistant than ash.”
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 11, 2022
The shadows were lengthening and it was drawing on toward evening, when the Ranger halted beside a little ravine, densely wooded with yellow pine, incense cedar, and white fir.
From The Boy With the U. S. Foresters by Rolt-Wheeler, Francis
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.
