spruce

¹ American  

[sproos] / sprus /

noun

1. any evergreen, coniferous tree of the genus Picea, of the pine family, having short, angular, needle-shaped leaves attached singly around twigs and bearing hanging cones with persistent scales.

2. any of various allied trees, as the Douglas fir and the hemlock spruce.

3. the wood of any such tree.

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adjective

1. made from the wood of a spruce tree or trees.

2. containing or abounding in spruce trees.

spruce ² American  

[sproos] / sprus /

adjective

sprucer, sprucest

1. trim in dress or appearance; neat; smart; dapper.

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verb (used with object)

spruced, sprucing

1. to make spruce or smart (often followed byup ).

   Spruce up the children before the company comes.

verb (used without object)

spruced, sprucing

1. to make oneself spruce (usually followed byup ).

spruce ¹ British  

/ spruːs /

noun

1. any coniferous tree of the N temperate genus Picea, cultivated for timber and for ornament: family Pinaceae. They grow in a pyramidal shape and have needle-like leaves and light-coloured wood See also Norway spruce blue spruce white spruce black spruce

2. the wood of any of these trees

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spruce ² British  

/ spruːs /

adjective

1. neat, smart, and trim

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Other Word Forms

• sprucely adverb
• spruceness noun
• unspruced adjective

Etymology

Origin of spruce¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, special use of Spruce, Sprus(e), variant of Pruce, Prus(se), from Old French Prusse, Pruisse, from Medieval Latin Prussia Prussia, source of the timber

Origin of spruce²

First recorded in 1580–90; obsolete spruce jerkin originally, jerkin made of spruce leather, i.e., leather imported from Prussia ( see spruce ¹), hence fine, smart, etc.

Explanation

Spruce is a verb that means you pay special attention to your personal appearance, especially your grooming and clothing. If you want to spruce up for a wedding, you'll need to rent a tuxedo and do something with your hair. Spruce can also mean that you're making something else look better. You might spruce up the living room before your girlfriend's visit by vacuuming, throwing away all the trash, and putting away the dishes you left sitting around. Spruce is typically used in combination with the word up: spruce up. Spruce's use as a verb possibly originated from "spruce leather," which was used to make a popular type of jacket back in the 1400s.

Example Sentences

Potato flatbread with spruce sprout pesto and pickled white currant.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

The researchers found that beetles feeding on spruce trees absorb defensive compounds from the phloem, especially phenolic glycosides such as stilbenes and flavonoids.

From Science Daily • Jan. 1, 2026

Scott showcased the stunning makeover on his YouTube account, revealing all of the steps it took to spruce their dwelling up for the holidays.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

Uplands’s autumnal and only slightly less prestigious sibling Rush Creek Reserve is a decadent, soft cheese wrapped in spruce bark that drops only in October and November.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

Was the Spirit Bear still out there prowling like a ghost under the thick canopy of spruce trees?

From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen