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.
Forestry and Land Scotland staff who have been monitoring the site have recorded birch, rowan and willow regenerating from surviving stems and root systems.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Dams have been made with willow wood from pond restoration projects on the Attingham estate.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 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
Vegetation visible along the reservoir shoreline and river channel includes tamarisk, willow, cottonwood, sedges, and various grasses.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026
A willow branch whipped over the water, then plunged into it where the magistrate had disappeared.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
The Tuffley school and nearby Willow Primary Academy are locked down and officers asked parents not to attend.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Red Willow now holds an interest in more than 1,800 wells.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Iger is a close friend of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who introduced Iger to his wife, Willow Bay, in the 1990s when she hosted the television show “NBA Inside Stuff.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 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
I leave Adam, Kim, and Willow in the lobby and I just start careening through the hospital.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
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 glass-domed exhibition space became a wonderland, with pink weeping willows and oversized toadstools adorning the runway.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
The vast Grand Palais exhibition space in central Paris was transformed into an enchanted and psychedelic forest populated by giant mushrooms and pink weeping willows.
From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026
The water is low, but clear, lined with the shade of willows.
From Salon ● Nov. 8, 2025
It caught the raft and pulled the nose around, so that it aimed downstream but along the edge, bouncing against the bank and sliding beneath overhanging willows and brush.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
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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.
