Osage orange
Americannoun
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Also called bois d'arc, bowwood. a tree, Maclura pomifera, of the mulberry family, native to the south-central U.S., having hard, yellowish wood and often cultivated for hedges.
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the round, rough-skinned, inedible fruit of this tree.
noun
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a North American moraceous tree, Maclura pomifera, grown for hedges and ornament
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the warty orange-like fruit of this plant
Etymology
Origin of Osage orange
First recorded in 1810–20
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.
“They have more soul,” Berkofsky said of his patterned carbon-steel knives, which feature elegant handles he has sculpted in rare wood such as charred Osage orange, black ash burl and live edge double-dyed maple.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2025
Thorns are modified branches appearing as sharp outgrowths that protect the plant; common examples include roses, Osage orange and devil’s walking stick.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Today, the Tunica Hills are covered in oak and loblolly pine, sweetgum and pawpaw, Osage orange and flowering magnolia, along with many other plants.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2021
Though Osage orange and black locust have traditionally been used for fence posts, they have what luthiers call a great “tap tone.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 5, 2020
Windbreaks are essential, and should be made of Osage orange or mulberries; but not too close to the orchard.
From The Apple by Various
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
