wicker
Americannoun
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a slender, pliant twig; osier; withe.
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plaited or woven twigs or osiers as the material of baskets, chairs, etc.; wickerwork.
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something made of wickerwork, as a basket.
adjective
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consisting or made of wicker.
a wicker chair.
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covered with wicker.
a wicker jug.
noun
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a slender flexible twig or shoot, esp of willow
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short for wickerwork
adjective
Etymology
Origin of wicker
1300–50; Middle English < Scandinavian; compare dialectal Swedish vikker willow. See weak
Explanation
Wicker, a natural material traditionally made from woven branches or reeds, is used for making baskets and lightweight furniture, like the wicker chairs on your patio. Your wicker laundry hamper may be made of rattan, a flexible, woody stem, or bamboo, a sturdy grass. The carefully woven seats of your antique chairs are wicker too. The material used to make them is known by this term, and so is the style and the specific technique of weaving. The word wicker, originally wickerwork, shares a root with Scandinavian words like the Swedish vika, "to bend."
Vocabulary lists containing wicker
The Odyssey
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Mississippi Trial, 1955
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Today, in 1889, he looks a bit worse for wear; his skin seems to have the texture of wicker.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
When she doesn’t know where to start, sometimes finding a nice wicker basket from the homewares section and filling it with smaller items can make it easier — and offers a nice presentation.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 19, 2025
When I first came to Gail’s house, I sat on a dining room chair of hers with a wicker cane seat.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025
I pictured myself gliding through an array of charming corner markets every evening, selecting just enough ingredients for that night's dinner to fill a stylish little wicker tote.
From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025
The Ellsbergs furnished their new living room with a white couch and wicker chairs with colorful cushions.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
