heartwood

noun

heart·​wood ˈhärt-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce heartwood (audio)
: the older harder nonliving central wood of trees that is usually darker, denser, less permeable, and more durable than the surrounding sapwood

Examples of heartwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web When wood will be near soil, such as posts, retaining walls, or planter boxes, opt for the more durable heartwood grades, such as Heart Clear, Heart B, or Construction Heart. Sunset Magazine, 20 May 2024 Some beetles feed just underneath bark while others tunnel more deeply into heartwood. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 11 Jan. 2024 Some of the standout features of the townhouse-style condo are its soaring 18-foot ceilings, reclaimed heartwood pine floors, and walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2023 Her research also led her to local practices, including Hardanger embroidery, in which white linen or cloth is adorned with lacelike patterns in white thread, and the method of dyeing textiles using heartwood from logwood trees, which imbues fabric with a purplish tinge. New York Times, 16 Apr. 2021 The dead wood can be major roots or the heartwood in the center of the trunk that gives the tree its strength. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 June 2023 Built by post-and-beam aficionado Tedd Benson of Bensonwood, the home features timber framing with heartwood pine beams, ceilings of tongue-and-groove pine, and Santos mahogany flooring. John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Apr. 2023 The brown rot could be a fungus rotting out the oak’s heartwood. oregonlive, 26 Mar. 2023 Floors are the original antique heartwood pine. Sarah Paynter, WSJ, 28 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heartwood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartwood was circa 1575

Dictionary Entries Near heartwood

Cite this Entry

“Heartwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartwood. Accessed 2 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

heartwood

noun
heart·​wood -ˌwu̇d How to pronounce heartwood (audio)
: the older harder nonliving and usually darker wood of the central part of a tree trunk compare sapwood

More from Merriam-Webster on heartwood

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