any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, characterized by narrow, lance-shaped leaves and dense catkins bearing small flowers, many species having tough, pliable twigs or branches used for wickerwork, etc.
the wood of any of these trees.
Informal. something, especially a cricket bat, made of willow wood.
Also called willower, willy. a machine consisting essentially of a cylinder armed with spikes revolving within a spiked casing, for opening and cleaning cotton or other fiber.
any of numerous salicaceous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix, such as the weeping willow and osiers of N temperate regions, which have graceful flexible branches, flowers in catkins, and feathery seeds
the whitish wood of certain of these trees
something made of willow wood, such as a cricket or baseball bat
a machine having a system of revolving spikes for opening and cleaning raw textile fibres
First recorded before 900; Middle English wilwe, variant of wilghe, Old English welig; cognate with Old Saxon wilgia, Dutch wilg, Low German wilge
A willow is a tree with long, flexible branches and very small leaves. If you're looking for a picnic spot, the wide, green canopy of a willow provides great shade on a hot summer day. Most willow trees grow near water or in damp locations, as their roots soak up great quantities of moisture and can be used to protect the banks of rivers and streams from erosion. Willow branches are also commonly woven together to make baskets. A "weeping willow" has distinctive, graceful branches that curve down toward the ground.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meanwhile, pollen preserved in nearby sediments revealed a variety of wetland plants, including reeds, sedges, willow, tamarisk, and aquatic vegetation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
Emma has placed a bench with a plaque featuring Mabel's name near the willow tree.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
The moth's caterpillars will only eat two plants - aspen and creeping willow - which makes it a challenge to conserve, according to Butterfly Conservation.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The infested willow plants were sold in 15 counties, mostly across Southern and Central California between June 24 and July 3.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
In the mists rising from the water, he could have been a woeful little bush planted between the willow and the pine.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
St Peter's High School and Willow Primary Academy in Gloucester were put into lockdown after the incident on Chalford Road in Tuffley at 08:50 GMT on Friday.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
He and his wife, Willow Bay, purchased a controlling interest in the National Women's Soccer League's Angel City FC in 2024.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Ken Marshall, from Wakefield, has owned his boat Willow for about eight years.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
And the company has been engaged in an exploration campaign in the state to expand on the footprint of Willow, a roughly $9 billion exploration project in the Arctic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
But the lines rearranged themselves before I could work out the dynamic, and the principal said: "Willow, do you know why you're here?"
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
She has planted meadows, willows, hedgerows, tussocky grasses and late-flowering crops to give insects food through the summer.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Among them, the height to volume model was applied to heavily browsed willows with unusual growth forms, even though the model was not designed for such distorted shapes.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 14, 2026
The vast Grand Palais exhibition space in central Paris was transformed into an enchanted forest populated by giant mushrooms and pink weeping willows as stars from Nicole Kidman to Dua Lipa looked on.
From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026
The water is low, but clear, lined with the shade of willows.
From Salon ● Nov. 8, 2025
One day, tired and hot from the chase, she came upon a crystal-clear river deeply shaded by silvery willows.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
