tree S1 W1 /triː/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: treow ]
1 . a very tall plant that has branches and leaves, and lives for many years:
As a kid, I loved to climb trees.
a cherry/peach/apple etc tree
We planted a peach tree in the backyard.
the trunk of an old oak tree (=the main central part, from which the branches grow)
2 . a drawing that connects things with lines to show how they are related to each other ⇨ FAMILY TREE, CHRISTMAS TREE
⇨ top of the tree at ↑ top 1 (3), ⇨ it doesn’t grow on trees at ↑ grow (7), ⇨ be up a gum tree at ↑ gum tree (2)
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THESAURUS
■ types of tree
▪ evergreen adjective an evergreen tree does not lose its leaves in winter:
English ivy is evergreen and grows even during the winter.
▪ deciduous adjective a deciduous tree loses its leaves in winter:
The oak is deciduous, but loses its leaves late in the year.
▪ conifer noun [countable] a tree such as a pine or fir that has leaves like needles and produces cones containing seeds:
The owners have planted conifers along the fence in order to reduce the traffic noise.
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a dwarf conifer
▪ fruit tree noun [countable] a tree that produces fruit that can be eaten:
Fruit trees such as apples and pears can be pruned during the winter months.
▪ sapling noun [countable] a young tree:
It's best to buy young saplings rather than fully-grown trees.
■ areas of trees
▪ copse noun [countable] a small group of trees:
a small copse of fir trees
▪ woodland noun [uncountable] land covered with trees:
the maintenance of ancient woodland
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woodland areas
▪ wood noun [countable] ( also woods ) a large area with many trees:
We went for a walk in the woods.
▪ forest noun [uncountable and countable] a very large area with a lot of trees growing closely together:
pine forests
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They worked as tree planters in the forests of Washington State.
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The forest fire was started by a discarded cigarette.
▪ rainforest noun [uncountable and countable] a tropical forest with tall trees, in an area where it rains a lot:
the Amazon rainforest
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12 million acres of rainforest have been destroyed.
▪ jungle noun [uncountable and countable] a tropical forest with trees and large plants:
The wreckage of the plane was found in dense jungle.
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a remote jungle area
■ material from trees
▪ wood noun [uncountable and countable] the usual word for the hard material that trees are made of:
They were chopping wood for the fire.
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The doors are made of solid wood.
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wood flooring
▪ timber British English , lumber American English noun [uncountable] wood used for building and making things:
a timber company
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softwood lumber
▪ hardwood noun [uncountable and countable] strong heavy wood from trees such as oak:
hardwood floors
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hardwoods such as teak
▪ softwood noun [uncountable and countable] wood from trees such as pine and fir that is cheap and easy to cut:
Most tables are made from softwood.
▪ firewood noun [uncountable] wood that has been cut or collected in order to be burned in a fire:
They collected branches that could be used for firewood.