willow

American  

[wil-oh] / ˈwɪl oʊ /

noun

1. 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.

2. the wood of any of these trees.

3. Informal. something, especially a cricket bat, made of willow wood.

4. 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.

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verb (used with object)

1. to treat (textile fibers) with a willow.

willow ¹ British  

/ ˈwɪləʊ /

noun

1. 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

2. the whitish wood of certain of these trees

3. something made of willow wood, such as a cricket or baseball bat

4. a machine having a system of revolving spikes for opening and cleaning raw textile fibres

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Willow ² British  

noun

1. a small town in S Alaska, about 113 km (70 miles) northwest of Anchorage: chosen as the site of the projected new state capital in 1976, a plan which never came to fruition. Pop: 1658 (2000)

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Other Word Forms

• willowish adjective
• willowlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of willow

First recorded before 900; Middle English wilwe, variant of wilghe, Old English welig; cognate with Old Saxon wilgia, Dutch wilg, Low German wilge

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

Baker’s Indigenous and German heritage inform her three large abstract collage hangings, created using synthetic turf animated by acrylic paint, yarn and a variety of natural materials, including corn husk, willow, buffalo hide and buckskin.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

The original study reported a 1,500% surge in willow crown volume after wolves returned.

From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026

Lamination is typically where the English willow face is backed by cheaper and lesser-performing willow, such as Kashmir.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

At the meadow’s end, the creek dived into a rocky canyon, the beginning of a 1,500-foot drop through patches of willow, cottonwood and fern.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2025

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

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive