shaw
n. countablen. a small group of trees or a thicket. It is an old word used mostly in British English to describe a little woods.
n. a small wood, thicket, or grove of trees. Primarily a dialectal or literary term in British English, often appearing in place names.
The children played hide and seek in the shaw.
A narrow path winds through the shaw, leading travelers away from the main road and into the dense brush.
The estate was bordered by an ancient shaw of oak and hazel, which provided a natural screen against the prevailing winds from the valley.
From shaw.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Usage
Commonly found in British toponymy and surnames; less frequent in modern conversational prose.
- Nounbradshaw
- Nounshaw
Last updated May 2, 2026