I. ˈwōd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English wod, wood, from Old English wād; akin to Middle Dutch wede woad, Old High German weit woad, Latin vitrum woad, glass (from its color), Greek isatis woad
1. : a plant of the genus Isatis ; especially : a European biennial herb ( I. tinctoria ) formerly grown for the blue coloring matter yielded by its leaves
2. : a blue dye prepared especially formerly from the leaves of woad and containing indigo (sense 1b) as its essential constituent
3. : a dark blue that is slightly paler than the color marine corps, paler than Japan blue, and redder and duller than Peking blue
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English wooden, from wood, wod woad
: to dye or treat with woad