adjective
Etymology
Origin of oaken
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at oak, -en 2
Vocabulary lists containing oaken
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.
When that happens, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” transforms from an origin story into a heartfelt critique of inherited power’s worth against the oaken will of a simple man fueled by duty and honor.
From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026
Like the man himself, his songs aren’t flashy; they’re oaken, sturdy and timeless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
A 3,000-year-old oaken dugout canoe made by ancient indigenous peoples was discovered in the bed of Wisconsin’s Lake Mendota on Thursday.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 24, 2022
Dark oaken furniture tries hard to give the grand “Buck Hall” a 17th-century feel while mahogany pieces, Georgian in appearance if not necessarily in reality, make a drawing room look gentler.
From New York Times ● Sep. 16, 2011
Each storeroom had a solid oaken door closed with an iron padlock as big as a supper plate.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
