annual ring

noun

: the layer of wood produced by a single year's growth of a woody plant

Examples of annual ring in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Astronomer Andrew Ellicott Douglass realized trees can give scientists a glimpse into the past, discovering a correlation between the annual rings trees produce and sunspot cycles. The Arizona Republic, 19 Feb. 2024 Rings of trees growing in temperate climates can indeed tell their age through their annual rings, the same source said. TREE QUIZ! Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 21 Jan. 2024 In the broad scheme of things, the Bulls’ annual ring ceremony doesn’t mean much. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2023 Under ideal conditions, trees grow quickly, leaving wide annual rings behind. Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, 8 July 2019 Tree rings are particularly diligent record-keepers, recording rainfall in their annual rings; ice cores can keep exquisitely detailed accounts of seasonal conditions going back nearly a million years. Rachel E. Gross, Smithsonian, 16 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'annual ring.' 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

1672, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of annual ring was in 1672

Dictionary Entries Near annual ring

Cite this Entry

“Annual ring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annual%20ring. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

annual ring

noun
: the layer of wood produced by a single year's growth of a woody plant

called also tree ring

More from Merriam-Webster on annual ring

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