Meaning & use
willow
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A tree with thin, bendy branches and narrow leaves that often grows beside water.
Grammar: Often a willow tree or a weeping willow.
Patterns
- a willow tree
A willow leaned over the river.
The children sat under the willow to eat lunch.
Willows grow well in wet soil.
noununcountable
The wood of this tree, used to make baskets and cricket bats.
Grammar: Used as a material: a willow basket.
The basket is woven from willow.
Cricket bats are traditionally made of willow.
He carved the whistle from willow.
Word forms
| plural | willows |
|---|
Common combinations
- weeping willow
- A weeping willow stood by the pond.
- willow tree
- They planted a willow tree in the garden.
- willow branch
- She wove a willow branch into the wreath.
- willow basket
- He carried apples in a willow basket.
- willow pattern
- The plate had a blue willow pattern.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- willowy adjective
- tall, slim and graceful
- pussy willow noun
- a willow with soft furry catkins
- willow herb noun
- a wild plant with spikes of pink flowers
Commonly confused: willow or pillow? willow or willing?
willow vs pillow
A pillow is for your head in bed and has no link to the tree, despite the rhyme.
willow vs willing
Willing means ready to do something, and is a different word from the tree.
Practice
Which tree is best known for drooping branches by a river?
Choose one answer.
The weeping willow has long hanging branches and likes wet ground. Oaks, pines and palms do not have drooping branches.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “willow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.