oak

noun, often attributive \ ˈōk \

Updated on: 16 Dec 2017

Definition of oak

plural oaks or oak

1 a : any of a genus (Quercus) of trees or shrubs of the beech family that produce acorns; also : any of various plants related to or resembling the oaks

b : the tough hard durable wood of an oak tree

2 : the leaves of an oak used as decoration

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oaken

play \ˈō-kən\ adjective

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Examples of oak in a Sentence

Tall oaks line the street.
The table is solid oak.
The cabinets are made of oak.

Recent Examples of oak from the Web

Western Gray Squirrel Sciurus griseus Western gray squirrels eat acorns and pine nuts in the heavily forested oak-conifer woodlands of the West.

— jonathon keats, Discover Magazine, "L.A.'s Surprising Urban Biodiversity," 10 Nov. 2017
Two hours before the party, Shannon is sitting cross-legged on the oak floor in the capacious room that serves as an all-in-one living room, dining room, and kitchen.

— eric sullivan, Esquire, "Michael Shannon Won’t Tone It Down," 5 Oct. 2017
Bialowieza’s towering oaks, hornbeams and spruces, plus the European bison and other endangered species that roam beneath their canopies, offer a unique glimpse of the continent’s ecological past.

— The Economist, "Preserving Bialowieza," 5 Oct. 2017
The fatty brisket is the star, rubbed simply with salt and pepper and smoked over oak, but the sausages are where some of the Canadiana shines through: One is stuffed with cheese curds, just like what you’d find on a tray of poutine.

— Bon Appetit, "Adamson Barbecue," 26 Oct. 2017
The body was laid in an oak coffin in Leicester’s Anglican cathedral.

— chip colwell, The Atlantic, "Your Bones Live On Without You," 18 Oct. 2017
This is our state as it once was, not as most of it is today, all covered up in thickets of lesser oaks and holly and Chinese privet so dense that light no longer reaches the ground.

— ben raines, AL.com, "This is how Alabama is supposed to look, and how Alabama used to look," 17 Oct. 2017
In New Mexico alone, the species’ habitat has shrunk by more than 40% since 1982, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, due to ranchers’ destruction of shinnery oaks and oil drilling.

— christopher m. matthews, WSJ, "It’s Lizard vs. Oil Magnate in the Latest Fight Over Fracking in Texas," 13 Oct. 2017
But wineries that had long been devoted to high-quality merlot doubled down on cool clay soils, gentler winemaking, and less aging in new oak barrels to preserve subtler aromas and silkier textures.

— elin mccoy, Bloomberg.com, "The Sideways Curse Has Lifted: Merlot Is Having a Comeback," 29 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of oak

Origin and Etymology of oak

Middle English ook, from Old English āc; akin to Old High German eih oak and perhaps to Greek aigilōps, a kind of oak

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

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OAK Defined for English Language Learners

oak

noun

Definition of oak for English Language Learners

: a type of tree that grows in northern parts of the world and that produces acorns
: the wood of an oak tree

OAK Defined for Kids

oak

noun \ ˈōk \

Definition of oak for Students

: a tree or shrub that produces acorns and has tough wood much used for furniture and flooring

Learn More about oak

See words that rhyme with oak Spanish Central: Translation of oak Nglish: Translation of oak for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oak for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oak

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oaken

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