1
: any of various woods (such as brazilwood) yielding a red dye
2
: a tree that yields a red dyewood or produces red or reddish wood
3
a
: a very tall coniferous tree (Sequoia sempervirens) of the cypress family that grows chiefly in coastal California, sometimes reaches a height of 360 feet (110 meters), and is a commercially important timber tree

called also coast redwood

see cone illustration compare dawn redwood
b
: its brownish-red durable wood

Examples of redwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This coastal town, just south of the Oregon border, sits near lush redwood forests and boasts an 1856 lighthouse. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 Liis Bo Eau de Parfum Inspired by the towering redwood forests of California, Bo combines vanilla bean with elemi, tobacco leaves, and of course, redwood pines. Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026 There was a jam session during cocktail hour, with music stations around the redwoods with instruments for people to pick up and play with each other. Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026 See redwoods, forest creatures and shorebirds while floating along the Russian River in Northern California. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for redwood

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of redwood was circa 1533

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Cite this Entry

“Redwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redwood. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

: a tall cone-producing evergreen tree mostly of coastal California that is related to the bald cypresses and sometimes grows to be 360 feet (110 meters) tall
also : its light long-lasting brownish red wood

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