late wood

American  

noun

1. summerwood.

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late wood Scientific  

1. The part of the wood in a growth ring of a tree that is produced later in the growing season. The cells of late wood are smaller and have thicker cell walls than those produced earlier in the season. Within a growth ring, the change of early wood to late wood is gradual, but each layer of early wood from the next growing season makes an abrupt contrast with the late wood before it, thus leading to the perception of rings.

2. Compare early wood

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Etymology

Origin of late wood

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

During the fall season, the secondary xylem develops thickened cell walls, forming late wood, or autumn wood, which is denser than early wood.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

This alternation of early and late wood is due largely to a seasonal decrease in the number of vessel elements and a seasonal increase in the number of tracheids.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The wood has a disagreeable, rancid odor, is splintery, not resinous, with decided contrast between early and late wood.

From Studies of Trees by Levison, Jacob Joshua

Since the late wood of a growth ring is usually darker in color than the early wood, this fact may be used in judging the density, and therefore the hardness and strength of the material.

From The Mechanical Properties of Wood Including a Discussion of the Factors Affecting the Mechanical Properties, and Methods of Timber Testing by Record, Samuel J.

In specimens that show a very large proportion of late wood it may be noticeably more porous and weigh considerably less than the late wood in pieces that contain but little.

From The Mechanical Properties of Wood Including a Discussion of the Factors Affecting the Mechanical Properties, and Methods of Timber Testing by Record, Samuel J.