pussy willow

[ poos-ee ]

noun

a small willow, Salix discolor, of eastern North America, having silky catkins.
any of various similar willows.

Origin of pussy willow

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

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

How to use pussy willow in a sentence

And there's another reason for it beside my pussy willow maid's romance!
Jane Journeys On | Ruth Comfort Mitchell
The last named bore a pink fuzzy blossom, not unlike pussy-willow, which was quite fragrant.
Tales of lonely trails | Zane Grey
Choose a large pussy-willow for this mouse, ruffle the fur up on top of the head and it will look like ears.
Mother Nature's Toy-Shop | Lina Beard
One bright day in February I found a pussy-willow tree, with its deep purple buds showing not a hint of the life within.
Getting Acquainted with the Trees | J. Horace McFarland
The smartest down-town flower shops are offering pussy willow boughs for table decoration.
Dinners and Luncheons | Paul Pierce

British Dictionary definitions for pussy willow

pussy willow

/ (ˈpʊsɪ) /

noun

a willow tree that produces silvery silky catkins, esp Salix caprea or S. cinerea in Britain or S. discolor in North America
any of various similar willows

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

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