English Explanatory Dictionary

willow

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of various deciduous trees or shrubs in the genus Salix, in the willow family Salicaceae, found primarily on moist soils in cooler zones in the northern hemisphere.
  2. The wood of these trees.
  3. A cricket bat.
  4. The baseball bat.
  5. A rotating spiked drum used to open and clean cotton heads.
verb
  1. To open and cleanse (cotton, flax, wool, etc.) by means of a willow.
  2. To form a shape or move in a way similar to the long, slender branches of a willow.
name
  1. A female given name from English of modern usage.
  2. A census-designated place in Alaska.
  3. A town in Oklahoma.
  4. A town in Wisconsin.

Pronunciation

/ˈwɪl.əʊ/ /ˈwɪloʊ/ en-us-willow.ogg en-au-willow.ogg

Word forms

willow willows willowing willowed

Etymology

From Middle English wilwe, welew, variant of wilghe, from Old English welig, from Proto-West Germanic *wilig, from Proto-Germanic *wiligaz, from Proto-Indo-European *welik- (compare (Arcadian) Ancient Greek ἑλίκη (helíkē), Hittite 𒌑𒂖𒆪 (welku, “grass”)), from *wel- (“twist, turn”).

Synonyms

withy

Related words

Willows

Derived words

almond willow arctic willow arroyo willow Australian willow Babylon willow balsam willow Barton-le-Willows basket willow bay willow bearberry willow Bedford willow black willow button willow crack willow desert willow downy willow French willow goat willow Huntingdon willow Kennicott's willow warbler least willow Newton-le-Willows peachleaf willow Peking willow polar willow prairie willow primrose-willow pussy willow pussy-willow Red Willow County Red Willow Creek rosebay willow herb sageleaf willow sea-willow sea willow strip the willow tea-leaved willow undergreen willow Walsham le Willows water willow weeping willow white willow Willowbank Willow Bunch Willow Canyon Willow Creek willow fly willow goldfinch willow grouse Willow Grove willowherb willow in the wind willow-leaved justicia Willowmavin willow oak willow ptarmigan willow ragwort Willows Willow Springs willow tit
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