oak

American  

[ohk] / oʊk /

noun

1. any tree or shrub belonging to the genus Quercus, of the beech family, bearing the acorn as fruit.

2. the hard, durable wood of an oak tree, used in making furniture and in construction.

3. Archaic. the leaves of an oak tree, especially as worn in a chaplet.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or made of oak.

   an antique oak desk;

   heavy oak doors with double locks.

idioms

1. sport one's oak, (of a university student) to indicate that one is not at home to visitors by closing the outer door of one's lodgings.

oak British  

/ əʊk /

noun

1. any deciduous or evergreen tree or shrub of the fagaceous genus Quercus, having acorns as fruits and lobed leaves See also holm oak cork oak red oak Turkey oak durmast

2. 1. the wood of any of these trees, used esp as building timber and for making furniture

   2. ( as modifier )

      an oak table

3. any of various trees that resemble the oak, such as the poison oak, silky oak, and Jerusalem oak

4. 1. anything made of oak, esp a heavy outer door to a set of rooms in an Oxford or Cambridge college

   2. to shut this door as a sign one does not want visitors

5. the leaves of an oak tree, worn as a garland

6. the dark brownish colour of oak wood

7. any of various species of casuarina, such as desert oak, swamp oak, or she-oak

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oaklike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of oak

First recorded before 900; Middle English ok(e), oc, Old English āc; cognate with Dutch eik, German Eiche, Old Icelandic eik; further origin uncertain

Explanation

An oak is a tree that typically sheds its leaves in the winter and grows acorns as fruit. If you get hit on the head with an acorn, you are probably standing under an oak. There are many species of oaks, a few of which are evergreen, keeping their leaves all year, but most have bright leaves in the fall and are bare for the winter months. An oak table or oak desk is made from the sturdy wood of an oak tree. The strength of oaks has inspired several countries to adopt them as symbols on money and flags, and in 2004 the oak was voted the national tree by the US Congress.

Example Sentences

"There are plans to build a reservoir in Broad Oak, but we need solutions now," he added.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

The new season takes place at the fictional Oak Canyon Ranch Retreat, providing more areas for the cast — and thus more places for their unknowing star to roam.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

There is a waiting list for the Royal Oak, which contributes 88% of the company’s overall sales.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Its octagonal shape is a riff on AP’s Royal Oak, a holy grail watch among collectors.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

My gaze goes to Madoc, but he is on the steps, speaking in low tones to one of his commanders, a troll who has eaten at our table, has teased Oak and made him laugh.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

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