white cedar

noun

1

: an aromatic evergreen swamp tree (Chamaecyparis thyoides) of the cypress family that occurs along the eastern coast of the U.S. and has branchlets in fan-shaped sprays and small round cones

also : its wood

2

: northern white cedar

Examples of white cedar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Food sources to focus on include beggar’s lice, dogwood, greenbriar, hemlock, white cedar, and many more. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 12 Sep. 2024

Eastern equine encephalitis, also called EEE or Triple E, is a rare but potentially deadly virus that is typically spread by mosquitoes in certain swampy areas, including red maple and white cedar swamps in Massachusetts. —Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, 3 Sep. 2024

The notes range from ginger to orris root, white cedar and vetiver. —Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024

At a glance, the striking, multi-winged home is almost Scandinavian in its appearance, thanks to the slender planks of untreated white cedar that line the exterior. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

white cedar

noun

1

: either of two trees related to the cypresses:

a

: an evergreen swamp tree of the eastern coast of the U.S.

b

: a common arborvitae especially of eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S.

2

: the wood of a white cedar