redwood

[red-woo d]

noun

a coniferous tree, Sequoia sempervirens, of California, noted for its great height, sometimes reaching to more than 350 feet (107 meters): the state tree of California.

its valuable brownish-red timber.

a red-colored wood.

any of various trees yielding a reddish wood.

any tree whose wood produces a red dyestuff.

Origin of redwood

First recorded in 1610–20; red¹ + wood¹

redwood

or red·wud

[red-woo d]

adjective Scot.

raving mad; insane.

distracted with anger; furious.

Origin of redwood

First recorded in 1550–60; red¹ + wood²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for redwood

Contemporary Examples of redwood

Berg: We have a big screening tomorrow night up in Redwood City.
Mike Judge’s Genius Satire ‘Silicon Valley’ Skewers Tech Titans
Andrew Romano
April 3, 2014
Yellow crime-scene tape went up around the 125-year-old redwood structure.
As 2014 Began, a Fateful Path to a Catholic Priest’s Murder
Michael Daly
January 3, 2014
Nobody chooses to get married in a redwood forest unless they love redwood forests.
11 Juiciest Bits from Sean Parker’s TechCrunch Rant
Sarah Langs
June 27, 2013
They built a redwood garden fence and installed a flagstone court and sidewalks.
Hoover’s Secret Files
Ronald Kessler
August 2, 2011
Someday we'll wonder how we ever thought flushing a Redwood down the drain was a reasonable thing to do.
Stop Indulging, America
Margaret Carlson
October 24, 2009

Historical Examples of redwood

Just then Redwood turned and waved his hand to somebody near us.
Tom, Dick and Harry
Talbot Baines Reed
And after him Redwood dropped a goal, first from one side line, then from the other.
Tom, Dick and Harry
Talbot Baines Reed
“We need not discuss this, Redwood,” said Mr Jarman, and walked away.
Tom, Dick and Harry
Talbot Baines Reed
It was in vain I struggled, and explained that Redwood was waiting for me.
Tom, Dick and Harry
Talbot Baines Reed
I saw Redwood go to him and say something, pointing as he did so to the hand.
Tom, Dick and Harry
Talbot Baines Reed

British Dictionary definitions for redwood

redwood

noun

a giant coniferous tree, Sequoia sempervirens, of coastal regions of California, having reddish fibrous bark and durable timber: family Taxodiaceae . The largest specimen is over 120 metres (360 feet) tallSee also sequoia

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

Word Origin and History for redwood

1610s, "wood that has a red hue," from red (adj.1) + wood (n.). Of various types of New World trees that yield such wood, from 1716; specifically of the California Sequoia sempervirens from 1819. In Scottish English 16c.-18c. the same word as an adjective meant "completely deranged, raving, stark mad," from wood (adj.).