# elm

/ˈɛɫm/ (US) · /ˈɛlm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/elm
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the tree

noun · CEFR B2

a large tree with leaves that fall off in autumn, often found in parks and forests.

For teachers: a deciduous tree of the genus Ulmus, characterized by alternate leaves and small flowers.

- The old elm in the garden provided plenty of shade during the hot summer.
- Dutch elm disease devastated the local population of these trees in the late twentieth century, permanently altering the character of the English countryside.

### 2. the wood

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the wood from an elm tree, used for making furniture or floors.

For teachers: the tough, durable, and water-resistant timber produced by the elm tree.

- The carpenter chose elm for the chair because the wood is very strong.
- Historically, elm was the preferred material for water pipes and wheel hubs due to its remarkable resistance to splitting under pressure.

### 3. programming language

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a specific computer language used by developers to build websites.

For teachers: a domain-specific functional programming language designed for creating web-browser-based graphical user interfaces.

- The developer decided to use Elm for the new project to avoid common errors.
- Elm is often praised in the development community for its strong type system and its ability to ensure no runtime exceptions occur in the browser.

## Examples

- The old elm tree provides plenty of shade in the summer.
- The park was once famous for its row of towering elms before Dutch elm disease destroyed them.
- The carpenter selected seasoned elm for the chair seats because its interlocking grain prevents the wood from splitting when the legs are driven into it.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.