redwood

¹ American  

[red-wood] / ˈrɛdˌwʊd /

noun

• redwoods
  plural

1. any of the three extant tree species of the coniferous subfamily Sequoioideae, specifically the giant sequoia, coast redwood, and dawn redwood.

2. the valuable brownish-red timber of the coast redwood or giant sequoia, the harvesting of which is strictly regulated.

3. a red or reddish wood.

4. any of various trees yielding a red or reddish wood.

5. any tree whose wood produces a red dyestuff.

---

adjective

1. made of red or reddish wood, especially that of the coast redwood or giant sequoia, the harvesting of which is strictly regulated.

   a six-piece set of redwood furniture for the patio.

redwood ² American  

[red-wood] / ˈrɛdˌwʊd /

Or redwud

adjective

Scot.

1. raving mad; insane.

2. distracted with anger; furious.

---

redwood British  

/ ˈrɛdˌwʊd /

noun

1. 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) tall See also sequoia

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• redwoods
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of redwood¹

First recorded in 1610–20; red ¹ + wood ¹

Origin of redwood²

First recorded in 1550–60; red ¹ + wood ²

---

Explanation

Redwoods are a kind of large, ancient evergreen trees commonly found on the coast of California. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living things on Earth. These magnificent trees are made up of three species, Sequoia and Sequoiadendron in California and Oregon, and China's Metasequoia. Redwoods have adapted over millions of years to be resistant to fire and infection, and they can reach heights of over 300 feet. Their name comes from the reddish-brown shade of their wood and bark. In 16th-century Scotland, the unrelated adjective redwood was used to mean "completely deranged."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

redwood redwoods

During Xi's state visit to the US in 2013, then-President Barack Obama gifted him an inscribed bench made of redwood, native to California where the two had met.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

Daniel Felix, 10, looks out from atop a gargantuan stump of an old-growth redwood on his tribe’s ancestral land.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026

The Botanical Gardens, a redwood grove, pickleball courts and a panoramic view of the city are an easy bike ride from home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026

Stolz’s redwood thighs have been punishing the field in Milan, shattering Olympic records and Dutch dreams.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

On his return, he carefully lifted all the magazines from the boxes and set them in separate piles atop a redwood picnic table beside the pit.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Yurok revegetation crews culled invasive weeds and planted nearly half a million native seedlings across 50 species, including redwoods and black cottonwood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Some credit the oaks and redwoods at Aldersgate for saving the property from the Palisades fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026

About five years ago, community members caught wind of plans to chop down towering redwoods within Jackson, near the coastal town of Caspar.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026

Especially when that dead end is surrounded by crashing surf on empty beaches, dramatic cliffs and lonely trails through forests thick with redwoods.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2025

After an hour or two meandering through the redwoods, Mom sharing a bunch of different facts as we go, we turn to make our way back to the parking lot.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---