willow

IPA/ˈwɪləʊ/
KK[wˈɪlˌo]IPA/ˈwɪləʊ/

willow — noun

  • willowsingular
  • willowsplural

1. a tall tree with many slender branches that grows best near water; also, the lig

1.nounB1
Definition

a tall tree with many slender branches that grows best near water; also, the light, soft wood taken from willows, often used in baskets and light furniture

Example

The old weeping willow's drooping branches swept the ground as children played in its shade.

collocation: weeping willow

Eli wove willow branches into a fence, bending them easily around the wooden posts.

Common collocations
  • weeping willow
  • willow tree
  • willow branches
  • willow wood
  • willow basket
  • planted along the riverbank
Synonyms
  • sallow

    An older or more formal botanical name for certain willow species, especially bushier varieties

  • osier

    A specific type of willow with very thin, bendable branches, traditionally used in basket-making

  • weeping willow

    A popular ornamental willow variety with distinctly drooping branches; often what people picture when they hear 'willow'

Usage Note

When referring to the living tree, 'willow' is countable (a willow / two willows). When referring to the wood as a material, it is uncountable (some willow / made of willow).

Common Mistakes

I planted a weeping willow, and now a tall willow with straight branches has grown.
I planted a weeping willow, and now a tall tree with drooping branches has grown.
Not all willows are weeping willows. 'Weeping willow' is a specific variety that has drooping branches; many willow species have upright or spreading branches.

2. a bat used in the sport of cricket, made from the wood of a willow tree — sports

2.nounC1
Definition

a bat used in the sport of cricket, made from the wood of a willow tree — sports journalists and players often refer to the bat itself as a 'willow'

Example

Femi picked up his willow and walked to the cricket pitch with confidence.

metonymic use: willow = cricket bat

Christopher oiled his willow carefully before the big match to protect the wood.

Common collocations
  • English willow
  • a stroke of the willow
  • face of the willow
  • grade-one willow
Synonyms
  • cricket bat

    The general, everyday term for the equipment; 'willow' implies a focus on the material or is used in sports writing for stylistic variety

Usage Note

This sense is almost exclusively British and specific to the sport of cricket. It is not used for baseball bats, hockey sticks, or any other sports equipment. The word 'willow' here refers to the bat itself by naming the material it is made from (metonymy).

Common Mistakes

He swung his willow and hit a home run.
He swung his willow and hit a six.
Home runs belong to baseball; in cricket the equivalent is a six.

Word family

  • willowy
    adjectiveC2
  • willowherb
    nounC2
  • willowware
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to trees of the Salix genus, but they differ in nuance. 'Willow' is the broad, everyday term used for any tree of this type. 'Sallow' is an older, more formal word that often describes bushier, less ornamental willow varieties found in hedgerows. 'Osier' refers specifically to willows with long, thin, flexible stems — these are the varieties traditionally cut back each year ('coppiced') to produce the straight shoots used in basket-weaving. 'Weeping willow' is the most visually recognisable type: a large, graceful tree whose branches sweep downward to the ground. In everyday conversation, most people say 'willow' or 'weeping willow'; 'sallow' and 'osier' appear mainly in gardening and craft contexts.

willow ↗sallowosier ↗weeping willow

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • shade of a willow
  • stroke of the willow
  • weeping willow

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'willow' comes from Old English 'welig', which described a tree known for its flexibility. This root is shared with other Germanic languages, such as German 'Weide' and Dutch 'wilg'. The tree's ability to bend without breaking in strong winds made it a familiar symbol of resilience, and its flexible branches have been used for weaving baskets and fences for thousands of years.