bough

noun

: a branch of a tree
especially : a main branch
boughed adjective

Examples of bough in a Sentence

a tree bough fell on my car during the windstorm
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Take a stroll through Condé Nast’s halls, where staffers draw inspiration from the spring/summer 2025 collections and replace boughs of holly with knickknacks and doodads dangling from their everyday bags. Ciarra Lorren Zatorski, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2024 And yes, while the ever-present joyful music, bright lights, pine boughs, discounts and holiday events make people want to shop this time of year, marketing messages are also key to these sales. Megan Poinski, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024 Some of its biggest perks are its voluminous boughs and lack of maintenance, like cleaning up needles and replacing bulbs. Melissa Epifano, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024 Deck the halls with boughs of holly, because A Philly Special Christmas Party officially arrived on Friday (Nov. 22) via Vera Y Records. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bough 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, shoulder, bough, from Old English bōg; akin to Old High German buog shoulder, Greek pēchys forearm

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bough was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bough

Cite this Entry

“Bough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bough. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bough

noun
: a branch of a tree
especially : a main branch
boughed adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on bough

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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